Several laws governing video games have been overturned in the past couple of years. It looks like the ESA will be working to overturn two more laws in the near future.

The first law, which was signed in to law this week in Minnesota, fines any minor that chooses to purchase an M or AO rated game $25. Not only is this law going to be tough to enforce, it is almost certainly unconstitutional.

The second law was unanimously passed by the Louisiana State Senate this week. The law has been garnering headlines due to its wording, which is subjective to say the least, and because it is co-written by anti-game crusader (read: idiot) Jack Thompson. If you read video game related news you might remember him most recently for his advice to some Louisiana police officers that they should confiscate the M rated video games from a murder suspect. At the same time, he likened gamers to hitmen. At any rate, the law would ban the sale of any game to minors that met three conditions, all of which rest on prevailing standards or the “average person’s” opinion. Not only are these conditions subjective, they may have no knowledge of video games as a medium.

The ESA has vowed to challenge the law, which is expected to pass. The ESA has taken up the fight on both laws and expects to win. They also scolded state senators for trying to gain notoriety by passing laws they know will be overturned and therefore costing their states money. Not for passing laws governing a medium that they have no knowledge of, and not for passing laws that so obviously infringe upon freedoms given to us in this nation, but the money. Perhaps the ESA has used those arguments before? I should hope so!

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6152383.html (Minnesota) http://www.gamespot.com/news/6152466.html (Louisiana)