A hotly-debated bill in the state of California will get a second chance this week, after falling by the wayside in 2004. The bill is being proposed by state Assemblyman Leland Yee, and has been amended from last year's failed attempt to crack down on the sale of violent games to minors across California. The bill aims to make selling or renting games to those under-age a punishable offence, and is actually an existing piece of legislation, applied to films and other materials, to which Yee hopes to add videogames.

Retailers found in breach of the law could face large fines of $1,000 if caught, and repeat offenders might even be closed, under the new proposal, which has met from fierce opposition at times; especially from groups representing concerned retailers. The bill has been amended in the hope it will prove more palatable to former abjectees, and has garnered support from the Girl Scouts and the Parent-Teachers Association. Well there's a surprise.

By Luke Guttridge