BILL REQ. #:  H-4452.2 

READ FIRST TIME 02/05/04.   

     AN ACT Relating to monitoring compliance with standards regarding the sale of violent video and computer games; adding a new section to chapter 43.63A RCW; creating a new section; providing an expiration date; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that, as many video and computer games become more realistic and more violent, protecting children from the harm caused by these interactive games becomes increasingly important. Combating the exposure of children to violent video and computer games depends in large part on retailers complying with industry game-rating standards when selling or renting the games to children. Voluntary efforts to ensure that sales and rentals comply with these industry standards have been relatively unsuccessful in the past. Protection of children will occur if the retailers of these games improve their ability to self-enforce game sales and rentals in accordance with the industry's game-rating standards. It is the legislature's intent to establish a monitoring program to obtain information about the effectiveness of voluntary compliance with industry game-rating standards and to communicate findings to the public regarding retailers' voluntary compliance.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 43.63A RCW to read as follows:
     (1)(a) The department of community, trade, and economic development shall develop a monitoring program for sales of violent video and computer games. Under this program, the department shall conduct periodic monitoring of a sample group of businesses that retail violent video and computer games to children. The sample group of businesses selected by the department shall be made up of thirty businesses, ten of which shall be located in eastern Washington. The department shall make reports as required in this section on compliance by the monitored retailers with industry game-rating standards when selling or renting violent video or computer games to children. The program must conduct monitoring operations of sample groups of businesses at least twice per year to determine whether retailers are complying with the industry game-rating standards as noted on the game packaging. The department may contract with an organization or organizations having expertise in similar monitoring operations to conduct the program.
     (b) The director of the department of community, trade, and economic development may appoint an uncompensated advisory group to assist the department in the development of the monitoring program. If appointed, the advisory group membership should include, but is not limited to, representatives of parent-teacher organizations, law enforcement officers, sheriffs and police chiefs, retailers, and pediatricians.
     (2) The department shall make a preliminary report to the governor and appropriate committees of the legislature by July 1, 2004. In addition, the department shall release the report to the public through a press release and by posting the report on the department's internet web site. Thereafter, the department shall make these reports annually by December 1st, beginning December 1, 2004.
     (3) This section expires January 1, 2007.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.