California Governor Schwarzenegger Petitions U.S. Supreme Court to Ban Sale of Violent Video Games to Children

05/20/2009 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued the following statement after he and Attorney General Jerry Brown asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review a lower court decision that struck down the California law banning the sale of violent video games to children:

“I signed this important measure to ensure parents are involved in determining which video games are appropriate for their children. By prohibiting the sale of violent video games to children under the age of 18 and requiring these games to be clearly labeled, this law would allow parents to make better informed decisions for their kids. I will continue to vigorously defend this law and protect the well-being of California’s kids.”

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The Governor signed AB 1179 by Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) in 2005 to prohibit the sale or rental of violent video games to anyone under the age of 18 and requiring such games to be clearly labeled. In 2005, the Video Software Dealers Association and Entertainment Software Association filed a lawsuit challenging the law and the U.S. District Court decided in their favor in 2007. The Governor immediately appealed the decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which affirmed the district court’s decision in February.

Source: California Governor