1.1                                         A bill for an act&#10;1.2      relating to crime prevention; prohibiting children under the age of 17 from &#10;1.3     renting or purchasing certain video games; prohibiting retailers selling or renting &#10;1.4     certain video games; providing penalties; proposing coding for new law in &#10;1.5     Minnesota Statutes, chapter 609.&#10;1.6      BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:&#10;&#10;<a id="go.0.1.0"></a>1.7          Section 1. <ins><b>[609.6855] RESTRICTED VIDEO GAMES; PROHIBITIONS.</b></ins>&#10;1.8         <ins>Subdivision 1.</ins> <ins><b>Definition.</b></ins> <ins>As used in this section, "restricted video game" means a </ins>&#10;1.9     <ins>video game rated AO or M by the Entertainment Software Rating Board.</ins>&#10;1.10        <ins>Subd. 2.</ins> <ins><b>Prohibited acts; penalty.</b></ins> <ins>A person under the age of 17 may not knowingly </ins>&#10;1.11    <ins>rent or purchase a restricted video game. A person who violates this subdivision is subject </ins>&#10;1.12    <ins>to a civil penalty of not more than $25.</ins>&#10;1.13        <ins>Subd. 3.</ins> <ins><b>Retailer prohibited act; penalty.</b></ins> <ins>A retailer may not knowingly sell or </ins>&#10;1.14    <ins>rent a sexually violent restricted video game to a person under the age of 17. A retailer </ins>&#10;1.15    <ins>who violates this subdivision is subject to a civil penalty of not more than $25.</ins>&#10;1.16        <ins>Subd. 4.</ins> <ins><b>Severability.</b></ins> <ins>The provisions of this section are severable.</ins>&#10;1.17        <ins>Subd. 5.</ins> <ins><b>Posted sign required.</b></ins> <ins>A person or entity engaged in the retail business </ins>&#10;1.18    <ins>of selling or renting video games from a location or structure with access to the public </ins>&#10;1.19    <ins>shall post a sign in at least 20 point type or larger in a location that is clearly visible </ins>&#10;1.20    <ins>to consumers. The sign must display the following language:  "It is against the law for </ins>&#10;1.21    <ins>a person under 17 to rent or purchase a video game rated AO or M.  Violators may be </ins>&#10;1.22    <ins>subject to a $25 penalty." </ins>&#10;1.23    <ins><b>EFFECTIVE DATE.</b></ins><ins>This section is effective August 1, 2006, and applies to </ins>&#10;1.24    <ins>violations committed on or after that date.</ins>&#10;