State Rep. Debralee Hovey (R-Monroe, Newtown) has introduced a bill in the General Assembly to add a 10 percent sales tax to video games rated “mature” by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), a rating system wildly used throughout the gaming industry.
According to the bill, HB 5735, the funding raised from the surcharge will be put toward research and education surrounding mental health, addiction and antisocial behavior, specifically, “to provide funds for education concerning the danger of violent video games.”
The bill comes less than two months after shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Lanza was known to have been a fan of first-person shooter video games, particularly realistic, military-style games such as Call of Duty.
Both the House and Senate Committees on Finance, Revenue and Bonding are currently considering the bill.
A report on GameSpot.com cites similar legislation proposed in Missouri that would levy a 1 percent tax on games rated “teen” through “adult only,” with the funding put toward “treatment of mental health conditions associated with ‘exposure’ to violent video games.”
God forbid we hold gun owners responsible for their own weapons. If Lanza couldn't obtain a gun, no amount of violent video games is going to make him do what he did.
There is no proven connection between violent video games and violence people commit. These video games are available all throughout the entire world. Why do we not see more violence in countries like Korea or Japan where video game use is much higher? Because the connection does not exist.
Here's the text: AN ACT CONCERNING ACCESS TO THE INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE SYSTEM OF THE SPECIAL LICENSING AND FIREARMS UNIT OF THE DIVISION OF STATE POLICE. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened: That chapter 529 of the general statutes be amended to require the Special Licensing and Firearms Unit of the Division of State Police to provide firearm dealers access to the unit's Interactive Voice Response system at all times, including on non-business days, for the purpose of obtaining firearm sales authorization numbers. Statement of Purpose: To permit firearm dealers seeking sale authorization numbers greater access to the Interactive Voice Response system of the Special Licensing and Firearms Unit of the Division of State Police.
While I hate to disagree with you, please Google "Violence in TV" and you will see study afer study which suports the premise that violence viewed on television or utilized on video games prompts acceptance of such devient behavior, and documented results.