Dear IGDA member/user, *** Action required no later than lunchtime, Monday April 4th! *** I am writing to alert you to legislation (HF 1298) that would harm the video game industry in Minnesota and have potential negative repercussions across the entire industry. Take Action =========== Your help is needed to stop this legislation. On Monday afternoon (April 4th), the House Committee on Public Safety Policy and Finance Committee will consider HF 1298. Your State Representative serves on this Committee and it is urgent that you contact him/her immediately in opposition to this bill. A draft letter that you can use/modify is available at the IGDA site: http://www.igda.org/censorship/MN_letter.php More Details ============ Minnesota HF 1298 criminalizes the purchase or rental by a person under 17 of a video game rated "M" or "AO" and requires retailers to post signs stating that it is against the law for minors to purchase or rent games rated "M" or "AO". Similar efforts to restrict a minors access to movies rated "R", "NC 17" or "X" have been overturned by the Courts in every instance. This legislation treats video games differently than any other form of media. And, it ignores the fact that the industry (ie, developers, publishers, retailers) already voluntarily support the ESRB ratings system and have taken actions to be ever more responsible about how games are sold. Video games are an expressive medium worthy of the same constitutional free speech protections as movies, books, music and art. Attempts to regulate video game content or a consumer's access to the creativity and expression contained in video games, as provided in this bill, would run afoul of constitutional protections. In turn, this legislation would subject the video game industry to regulations that could cripple its ability to compete in the marketplace, hurt an industry that directly and indirectly employs people in Minnesota (like yourself!), as well as stagnate the art form of games. Check the MN legislature for details on the bill: http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H1298.0&session=ls84 Jump to the IGDA's lobbying status page to see related links and the IGDA's efforts in other states: http://www.igda.org/censorship/lobbying.php Do not hesitate to contact me with any questions. Thanks in advance for helping out! PS: Please send me a quick email to let me know that you've emailed/faxed your rep. Thanks! Regards, Jason ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jason Della Rocca Executive Director International Game Developers Association http://www.igda.org/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Do or do not. There is no try." - Yoda