Minnesota Taxpayers Paying for State's Mistake
For those concerned with how tax dollars are being spent, there is some upsetting news from the state of Minnesota. Taxpayers in that state found out this week how much it cost them for their elected officials’ decision to advance an unconstitutional attempt at regulating computer and video games. On June 30, the state of Minnesota reimbursed the video game industry for attorney’s fees—an amount totaling over $65,000. Minnesota is the latest state to see unconstitutional video game legislation struck down and paid for it with taxpayer dollars. States have now paid almost $2 million in legal fees to the video game industry as a result of pursuing the same unconstitutional mistake.
The original piece of legislation was passed in 2006 and lasted little more than a month before being declared unconstitutional by the courts.
Michael Gallagher, CEO of the ESA, pointed out, "Courts across the United States have consistently ruled that video games are entitled to the same First Amendment protections as other forms of art, such as music and literature."
Now more than ever, legislators must open their eyes to the reality of the situation. Regulating video games is unconstitutional, entirely unnecessary and, as evidenced most recently in Minnesota, costly to taxpayers. The most recent FTC report revealed months ago that the self-imposed ESRB system is the most effective rating system in the country--better than movies and music. Education, not regulation, is clearly the correct course.
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