Missouri rep wants violent-game tax

HB 157 would charge a 1 percent excise tax on games rated T, M, or AO in Missouri; revenue derived would go toward mental health programs.

If a new bill becomes law, gamers in Missouri could pay a "violent-game" tax in the near future. Missouri representative Diane Franklin (R-123rd District) introduced HB 157 (via PC Gamer) to the state's General Assembly this week, proposing that all games rated T, M, or AO carry a 1 percent excise tax.

Revenue derived from this initiative would be deposited into the state's general revenue fund and be used only for the treatment of mental health conditions associated with "exposure" to violent video games.

According to the bill, "immediate action" is necessary to protect and ensure the mental health of those exposed to violent video games. In addition, it claims that such a bill is necessary for the "immediate preservation of public health, welfare, peace, and safety."

HB 157 was introduced to the Missouri General Assembly January 14, exactly one month after the schoolhouse massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, that left 20 children and six adults dead.

This is not the first time a state representative has introduced a bill seeking to tax violent games. In January 2012, Oklahoma state representative Will Fourkiller (D-86th District) introduced a bill that would charge a 1 percent excise tax, with revenue derived to be given to the state's obesity-fighting and anti-bullying funds.

This bill was defeated a month later.

Eddie Makuch
By Eddie Makuch, News Editor

Eddie Makuch (Mack-ooh) is a News Editor at GameSpot. He works out of the company's Boston office in Somerville, Mass., and loves extra chunky peanut butter.

341 comments
Sort: Newest | Oldest
MangaWarrior
MangaWarrior

Im Bi-polar and putting money into treatment is not a bad thing, would you care about your child reading an edgy book then suddenly feeling different about the world they live in and suddenly having opinions ????? 

Because of that having programs that teach kids to defend themselves against negative undertones in a modern society is NOT a bad thing.Yet I think parent's should be educated about this stuff cause it's not the GAMER archetype that will save us from this but the Intelligentsia that will open our minds to this Reform Ideal.

S_Pac_316
S_Pac_316

It's just the idiots exploiting the Sandy Hook tragedy to leverage their BS!

Exploitation of a tragedy to line their pockets! Kiss my ***!

holtrocks
holtrocks

Cause we don't pay enough taxes as it is.

grommmmmm
grommmmmm

Oh really, the extra proceeds would go to psychiatric 'victims' of exposure to violent video games? And how many of those are there in the state of Missouri? Or anywhere, for that matter? Hasn't there been all kinds of research done already - which has turned out zilch in the way of positive evidence for video games in particular warping fragile gamers' minds? America definitely has a problem with raving lunatics owning assault rifles - so take them on, don't go the old blame games, music, movies route.

Of course, we now know taxes aren't implemented for the sake of keeping America's poor and needy alive - the traditional conservative argument. America spends zilch on social security and nearly half its gross annual product on military/corporate subsidies - go figure.

So what you're looking at here is an extra tax on virtual violence, that will allow the federal government to cut back on public expenditure in (psychiatric) health care. Which revenue it can then transfer to the corporate-military complex for ACTUAL for-profit killing in far off nations most Americans can't even point on the map.

Yet more evidence that the society we are born in has zilch to do with 'freedom' and is an absurd totalitarian nightmare on par with the former Soviet Union. And everything I see and hear to me suggests we are in the final days now.... 

jenovaschilld
jenovaschilld like.author.displayName 1 Like

That is an illegal tax, it would not be allowed in any of the 50 states supreme courts. The tax proposal would have to be greatly reworded and either broadened around all forms of gaming media or an increased focus as to what the taxes collected would be used for. 

This is more grand standing, more political showmanship then anything that would actually be implemented.  Not just second amendment rights, game media is widespread beyond state and federal  jurisdictions  it would also be impossible to implement. This is why you have never seen a tax on curtailing specific content in any media known: news, music, books, magazines, etc. 

In other words it is a waist of time for you, me, our politicians, tax dollars, and anyone with common sense. 

fillup0
fillup0

An extra six cents added to the price of your games for extra funding into mental health care and you're complaining? This isn't to scapegoat games, but rather to try and do something about these mass murders... Jesus I've never seen such a massive row over six cents.

Tseng
Tseng like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 4 Like

This is a great idea.  Take money from citizens buying a product and spend that money on programs that have nothing to do with the original product.  How about we tax vegetarians 1% and donate the money to fighting heart disease?  Why don't we tax anyone that owns a bicycle and spend the money on streamlining the DMV?  Pointless, impulsive reaction to an event that had absolutely nothing to do with gaming.

bbkkristian
bbkkristian like.author.displayName 1 Like

Seriously, a 1% tax? Maybe that was what it was about all along

Oldgun
Oldgun

I don't understand this, how the hell doctors can find out mental health conditions associated with "exposure" to violent video games" !!

genjuroT
genjuroT like.author.displayName 1 Like

One quick solution. If you know your kid has mental problems, dont let them play or see anything violent...The "hear no evil, see no evil, do no evil" is for monkeys that don't know any better. The average human is smart enough to know they will die in real life if they imitate games, and the average human has a built in survival instinct not to die. So, if a kid is missing this instinct, then he's mentally ill, much like some tourettes children are forced to repeat words they hear.

ryanreynolds
ryanreynolds like.author.displayName 1 Like

Uh oh!  I've been exposed to violent video games for the past 15 years :O 

Unfallen_Satan
Unfallen_Satan like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

What are the mental health conditions associated with "exposure" to violent video games? I think before the merit of the bill can even be discussed, certain key terms must be clearly defined.

sfkm2
sfkm2 like.author.displayName 1 Like

*sighs* Why oh why.

somebody337
somebody337 like.author.displayName 1 Like

Oh sure our economy is down the dumps and alot of people are struggling just to keep a roof over their head. Taxing us even more for our form of entertainment to escape reality and vent anger would totally help -_-

Hellswrath99
Hellswrath99 like.author.displayName 1 Like

This is so pointless that it's comical.  An "exposure to violent video games" fund?  REALLY?  Granted, more research is going to be done, but all the research so far has conclusively shown that games do NOT cause violence in real life.  Talk about jumping the gun.


Don't get me wrong.  I love America and my country, but there is way too much mob mentality going on here in the US about this.  What happened to making informed decisions?  What happened to basing law off of fair and reasoned judgement?


Since when did we jump back to knee-jerk reactions to everything?  Who is going to burn next for being the witch at fault for all our woes?  I'm sad for what we are letting ourselves become.

moncealyo
moncealyo

I remember when some morons were pushing for a soda tax.  That didn't go very far and I don't think this will either.

guy298
guy298

Guess what this doesn't prevent!

guy298
guy298

Aw, nobody guessed...

kyacat
kyacat

Hey Mr Rep and congree how about you guys pay tax's  the game industrry and us gamers who have common sense on your stupidity every time you cop out blame the game industry and  us gamers how does that sound?

demonkingx5
demonkingx5

I want the Top 1% taxed  if you ask him that watch as he defend the rich instead of defending the people who help get him elected why ? who payed for his campaign .

Skyrim25
Skyrim25 like.author.displayName 1 Like

Its just like the old people in Washington to NOT focus on the actual problem of mental heath problems in people and instead they WORNGFULLY blame something that is not even related to mental heath.

nurnberg
nurnberg

Like I said before, generalizations are very dangerous.  Saying that gamers are mentally unstable is just like saying that gun owners are crazy or saying that Muslims are terrorists.  This kind of generalization just create stereotypes and conflicts.  Gamers are just normal people, end of story.

WolfGrey
WolfGrey

Well...this is very plainly insulting.....to all gamers who enjoy video games.

Ovirew
Ovirew like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

If they don't already tax alcohol to pay for domestic abuse programs, depression programs, alcohol liver disease awareness programs, and programs to promote anti-drinking and driving (am I missing anything?), they need to get on that, then.

nurnberg
nurnberg

So basically this moron claims that video games cause gamers to have mental problems.  Gamers are apparently a bunch of mentally ill lunatics.  WTF?  I find this very insulting.

Jamesp2005
Jamesp2005

@nurnberg The sad part is he would have a case if he read enough of the comments on this site.

nurnberg
nurnberg

How insulting!  WTF?  The gamers are under assault.  This is ridiculous.

Daian
Daian like.author.displayName 1 Like

How about a tax on ignorance and stupidity for people like this?

MrHatnClogs
MrHatnClogs

Oh for God's sake Valve, will you just feed Gabe so he can stop eating Episode 3!

MrHatnClogs
MrHatnClogs like.author.displayName 1 Like

I know this game


They announce the next episode, and it goes on for five years.

mdboomer
mdboomer like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 11 Like

Are they going to tax the news as well?  I see far more violent images on the 6:00 news. 

megam
megam like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 5 Like

Bullet wounds are a serious health issue. I also have conclusive evidence that bullet wounds are caused by bullets. Can we have a 1% excise tax on all bullets to help treat bullet wounds?

thedemon44
thedemon44 like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 4 Like

@megam Man, after this sick session of Tekken, I just feel the need to grab my sword and go hack my neighbors up! I am so violent now!!

Mohjong
Mohjong

How many people will continue to visit a site if upon hitting the front page you got this "Age Verify" thing due to some bloody in-game images (like the one we seen today).  Even Obama know this is bad for business.

sam628
sam628 like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 9 Like

its not gamers responsibility to look after people with a mental health issues, its government responsibility

sam628
sam628

why should gamers have to pay for these mental health programs?

super_voltron
super_voltron like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

use your power to vote .

Let them know if they are gonna pull stunts llike these then we wont vote for them. 

sam628
sam628

there is enough taxes in the world already 

sam628
sam628

not fair on gamers who are on a budget

Slim02
Slim02

@sam628 Really! $.50 more is going to kill them, please... You act like it's $10 or $20 more... Its fifty damn cents.. 

Conversation powered by Livefyre

Hot Stories

Newsmakers

Featured Stories

Submit News

Got tips? Send them in!