Oklahoma attempts violent-game tax, ESA responds
O-K oy vey -- some States just never learn. Oklahoma State Representative William Fourkiller has proposed a 1 percent tax on Teen, Mature and Adults Only-rated games.
Fourkiller says, "Violent video games contribute to some of our societal problems like obesity and bullying, but because they raise a lot of revenue, they can also provide part of the solution." The proposed bill would have half of the money go to a bullying prevention fund and the other to get kids out of the house.
You can imagine the Entertainment Software Association, which just last week got the State of California to agree to reimburse it $950,000 in legal fees (on top of another check back in 2008) for fighting Brown v. EMA up to the Supreme Court, has something to say on this subject.
"We are disappointed that even in the wake of an overwhelming decision in the United States Supreme Court finding proposals such as this to be patently unconstitutional, there are those who still try to attack video game with outdated notions of our industry," the ESA told Joystiq. "Taxing First Amendment protected material based on its content is misguided."
California will have paid the ESA more than $1,327,000 to reimburse legal fees, while other states have also had to pay back the industry's lobbying and political arm for fighting similar bills. Turn back now, Oklahoma. Turn back now while you still can!
