California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday joined a growing movement of legislators across the nation by signing into law a bill restricting the sale and rental of violent video games to minors. California AB 1179, which was authored by Assembly Speaker pro Tem Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/Daly City), will go into effect on January 1, 2006.
“We applaud Governor Schwarzenegger for signing this landmark legislation,” said James Steyer, CEO of Common Sense Media. “Even though he’s a major figure in the entertainment industry, he’s a father first. In that role, the Governor understands that ultra-violent and sexually violent media content is harmful to kids’ development.”
In signing the bill, Schwarzenegger joined governors Rod Blagojevich of Illinois and Jennifer Granholm of Michigan, who recently signed similar legislation in their states, in addressing the serious public health threat posed by minors’ use of violent video games. Studies have consistently found that minors who play such games are likely to become desensitized to violence, less empathetic toward others, and more aggressive.
