Bill Text: NJ A3987 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires parental consent for the sale of video games containing mature and adult content to minors.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 5-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-04-04 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee [A3987 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-A3987-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman SEAN T. KEAN
District 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)
Assemblywoman HOLLY SCHEPISI
District 39 (Bergen and Passaic)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Handlin, Assemblymen C.A.Brown and Amodeo
SYNOPSIS
Requires parental consent for the sale of video games containing mature and adult content to minors.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act regulating the sale of certain video games and supplementing P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. It shall be an unlawful practice for any person engaged in the business of selling video games to sell any video game with an Entertainment Software Rating Board rating of "mature" or "adults only" to a person less than 18 years of age without parental consent.
b. For the purpose of this section, "parental consent" means that the purchaser's parent or guardian is present during the sale transaction and affirmatively indicates permission for the sale to proceed, verbally or in writing.
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the seventh month following enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill would require parental consent for the sale of any video game with an Entertainment Software Rating Board rating of "mature" or "adults only" to a person less than 18 years of age. For the purposes of the bill, "parental consent" would mean that the purchaser's parent or guardian would have to be present during the sale and affirmatively indicate permission for the sale to proceed, verbally or in writing.
The bill specifies that a violation would be an unlawful practice. An unlawful practice under the Consumer Fraud Act is punishable by a monetary penalty of not more than $10,000 for a first offense and not more than $20,000 for any subsequent offense. In addition, a violation can result in cease and desist orders issued by the Attorney General, the assessment of punitive damages and the awarding of treble damages and costs to the injured.
