House File 2479 - Introduced



                                       HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  DAVITT


    Passed House, Date                Passed Senate,  Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act relating to the sale or rental of a video game to a minor,
  2    and providing a penalty.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  4 TLSB 6203HH 81
  5 jm/sh/8

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  728A.1  SALE OR RENTAL OF VIDEO
  1  2 GAMES TO MINORS.
  1  3    1.  A person shall not sell or rent a video game to a minor
  1  4 unless the video game is rated early childhood (EC), everyone
  1  5 (E), everyone ten and older (E10+), or teen (T) by the
  1  6 entertainment software ratings board, and the age of the minor
  1  7 is appropriate for purchasing or renting the video game.
  1  8    2.  The appropriate age for purchasing or renting a video
  1  9 game is as follows:
  1 10    a.  Any minor may purchase or rent a video game rated EC or
  1 11 E.
  1 12    b.  Any minor ten years of age or older may purchase or
  1 13 rent a video game rated E10+.
  1 14    c.  Any minor thirteen years of age or older may purchase
  1 15 or rent a video game rated T.
  1 16    3.  This section does not apply to a minor who has written
  1 17 permission from the minor's parent or guardian on a form
  1 18 distributed by the video game retailer.
  1 19    4.  A person who sells or rents a video game in violation
  1 20 of this section commits a simple misdemeanor.
  1 21                           EXPLANATION
  1 22    This bill relates to the sale or rental of a video game to
  1 23 a minor.
  1 24    The bill prohibits a person from selling or renting a video
  1 25 game to a minor unless the video game is rated early childhood
  1 26 (EC), everyone (E), everyone 10 and older (E10+), or teen (T)
  1 27 by the entertainment software ratings board, and the age of
  1 28 the minor is appropriate for purchasing or renting the video
  1 29 game.
  1 30    Under the bill, the appropriate age for purchasing or
  1 31 renting a video game is as follows:  Any minor may purchase or
  1 32 rent a video game rated EC or E; any minor 10 years of age or
  1 33 older may purchase or rent a video game rated E10+; and any
  1 34 minor 13 years of age or older may purchase or rent a video
  1 35 game rated T.
  2  1    The bill does not apply to a minor who has written
  2  2 permission from the minor's parent or guardian on a form
  2  3 distributed by the video game retailer.
  2  4    A person who sells or rents a video game to a minor in
  2  5 violation of the bill commits a simple misdemeanor.
  2  6    A simple misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no
  2  7 more than 30 days or a fine of at least $50 but not more than
  2  8 $500, or by both.
  2  9 LSB 6203HH 81
  2 10 jm:nh/sh/8