HB 0091 2004
   
1 A bill to be entitled
2          An act relating to video games; creating s. 847.0123,
3    F.S.; defining "adult video game"; prohibiting the sale or
4    rental of adult video games to minors; providing a
5    defense; requiring proof of age to be presented prior to
6    sale or rental of such video games; prohibiting the
7    purchase or rental of adult video games by minors;
8    providing penalties; providing for application; providing
9    an effective date.
10         
11          Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
12         
13          Section 1. Section 847.0123, Florida Statutes, is created
14    to read:
15          847.0123 Adult video games; definitions; prohibiting sale
16    or rental to a minor; prohibiting purchase or rental by a minor;
17    penalties; application.--
18          (1) As used in this section:
19          (a) "Adult video game" means any game played via a
20    computer which contains representations or images of excessive
21    violence or nudity or sexual conduct that is harmful to minors.
22          (b) "Excessive violence" is the visual depiction or
23    representation of realistic serious injury to a human or a
24    human-like being.
25          (c) "Serious injury" includes amputation, decapitation,
26    dismemberment, bloodshed, mutilation, maiming, or disfigurement
27    which appeals to a minor's morbid interest in violence and is
28    patently offensive to the prevailing standards in the adult
29    community as a whole with respect to what is suitable material
30    for minors.
31          (2) A person may not knowingly sell or rent an adult video
32    game to any minor. Any person who violates this subsection
33    commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in
34    s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
35          (3) Any person who sells or rents adult video games shall
36    require that a person buying or renting an adult video game
37    present proof of age. It shall constitute a defense to the
38    offense in subsection (2) if the person selling or renting the
39    video game required that a person buying or renting an adult
40    video game present proof of age and that proof of age indicated
41    that the person buying or renting the video game was not a
42    minor.
43          (4) A minor may not knowingly buy or rent an adult video
44    game. A minor violating this subsection commits a misdemeanor of
45    the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s.
46    775.083.
47          (5) This section shall not apply to video game sales
48    transacted over the Internet.
49          Section 2. This act shall take effect October 1, 2004.