CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1009

Chapter 365, Laws of 2003

58th Legislature
2003 Regular Session



VIDEO GAMES



EFFECTIVE DATE: 7/27/03

Passed by the House March 18, 2003
  Yeas 81   Nays 16

FRANK CHOPP
________________________________________    
Speaker of the House of Representatives


Passed by the Senate April 17, 2003
  Yeas 42   Nays 7


BRAD OWEN
________________________________________    
President of the Senate
 
CERTIFICATE

I, Cynthia Zehnder, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1009 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth.


CYNTHIA ZEHNDER
________________________________________    
Chief Clerk
Approved May 20, 2003.








GARY F. LOCKE
________________________________________    
Governor of the State of Washington
 
FILED
May 20, 2003 - 2:38 p.m.







Secretary of State
State of Washington


_____________________________________________ 

ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1009
_____________________________________________

Passed Legislature - 2003 Regular Session
State of Washington58th Legislature2003 Regular Session

By House Committee on Juvenile Justice & Family Law (originally sponsored by Representatives Dickerson, Delvin, Skinner, Kagi, Chase, Wood, Sommers, Miloscia, Conway, Cody, O'Brien, Kenney, Schual-Berke, McDermott and Lovick)

READ FIRST TIME 02/04/2003.   



     AN ACT Relating to video and computer games depicting violence against public law enforcement officers; amending RCW 7.80.120; adding a new section to chapter 9.91 RCW; creating a new section; and prescribing penalties.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that there has been an increase in studies showing a correlation between exposure to violent video and computer games and various forms of hostile and antisocial behavior. The entertainment software industry's ratings and content descriptors of video and computer games reflect that some video and computer games are suitable only for adults due to graphic depictions of sex and/or violence. Furthermore, some video and computer games focus on violence specifically against public law enforcement officers such as police and fire fighters. The legislature encourages retailers and parents to utilize the rating system.
     In addition, the legislature finds there is a compelling interest to curb hostile and antisocial behavior in Washington's youth and to foster respect for public law enforcement officers.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 9.91 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) A person who sells, rents, or permits to be sold or rented, any video or computer game they know to be a violent video or computer game to any minor has committed a class 1 civil infraction as provided in RCW 7.80.120.
     (2) "Minor" means a person under seventeen years of age.
     (3) "Person" means a retailer engaged in the business of selling or renting video or computer games including any individual, partnership, corporation, or association who is subject to the tax on retailers under RCW 82.04.250.
     (4) "Violent video or computer game" means a video or computer game that contains realistic or photographic-like depictions of aggressive conflict in which the player kills, injures, or otherwise causes physical harm to a human form in the game who is depicted, by dress or other recognizable symbols, as a public law enforcement officer.

Sec. 3   RCW 7.80.120 and 1997 c 159 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) A person found to have committed a civil infraction shall be assessed a monetary penalty.
     (a) The maximum penalty and the default amount for a class 1 civil infraction shall be two hundred fifty dollars, not including statutory assessments, except for an infraction of state law involving tobacco products as specified in RCW 70.93.060(4) and an infraction of state law involving violent video or computer games under section 2 of this act, in which case the maximum penalty and default amount is five hundred dollars;
     (b) The maximum penalty and the default amount for a class 2 civil infraction shall be one hundred twenty-five dollars, not including statutory assessments;
     (c) The maximum penalty and the default amount for a class 3 civil infraction shall be fifty dollars, not including statutory assessments; and
     (d) The maximum penalty and the default amount for a class 4 civil infraction shall be twenty-five dollars, not including statutory assessments.
     (2) The supreme court shall prescribe by rule the conditions under which local courts may exercise discretion in assessing fines for civil infractions.
     (3) Whenever a monetary penalty is imposed by a court under this chapter it is immediately payable. If the person is unable to pay at that time the court may grant an extension of the period in which the penalty may be paid. If the penalty is not paid on or before the time established for payment, the court may proceed to collect the penalty in the same manner as other civil judgments and may notify the prosecuting authority of the failure to pay.
     (4) The court may also order a person found to have committed a civil infraction to make restitution.


         Passed by the House March 18, 2003.
         Passed by the Senate April 17, 2003.
         Approved by the Governor May 20, 2003.
         Filed in Office of Secretary of State May 20, 2003.