Bill Text: PA HR214 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Alerting the citizens of this Commonwealth about the release of "School Shooter: North American Tour 2012," strongly urging parents, guardians and others who care for children to carefully monitor their children's use of all media and encouraging retailers to refrain from selling School Shooter in their retail establishments.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-04-13 - Referred to CONSUMER AFFAIRS [HR214 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-HR214-Introduced.html

  

 

    

PRINTER'S NO.  1545

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

No.

214

Session of

2011

  

  

INTRODUCED BY CURRY, CLYMER, BENNINGHOFF, BOBACK, BOYD, BRIGGS, V. BROWN, COHEN, D. COSTA, DAVIS, FABRIZIO, FLECK, GERBER, HARKINS, HENNESSEY, HESS, KORTZ, MILLARD, MILNE, PASHINSKI, QUINN, READSHAW, SCHRODER, K. SMITH, TOEPEL, VULAKOVICH, YOUNGBLOOD AND GILLESPIE, APRIL 13, 2011

  

  

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER AFFAIRS, APRIL 13, 2011  

  

  

  

A RESOLUTION

  

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Alerting the citizens of this Commonwealth about the release of

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"School Shooter: North American Tour 2012," strongly urging

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parents, guardians and others who care for children to

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carefully monitor their children's use of all media and

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encouraging retailers to refrain from selling School Shooter

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in their retail establishments.

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WHEREAS, "School Shooter: North American Tour 2012" is a

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first-person video game developed by Checkerboard Studios that

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allows players to assume the roles of the perpetrators of the

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campus massacres at Columbine High School, Virginia Tech and

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Northern Illinois University; and

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WHEREAS, School Shooter is programmed to provide players with

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weapons modeled after those used by the perpetrators of these

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campus massacres and lets the player roam freely through school-

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themed levels, shooting video depictions of people at will; and

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WHEREAS, Given that the tragedies that took place at

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Columbine and these universities are among the most horrible

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acts of campus-based violence in American history, the lack of

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empathy within this game for victims, their families, friends

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and other loved ones is upsetting, morally reprehensible and

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disrespectful; and

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WHEREAS, Though other first-person shooter video games are

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available for play, the portrayal of campus-based tragedies and

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the death of children and young adults as entertainment is

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particularly objectionable; and

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WHEREAS, The release of this excessively violent game is

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generating concern among educators, school administrators, law

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enforcement and suicide prevention groups; and

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WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Department of Health's Bureau of

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Drug and Alcohol Programs feels the game is a serious threat to

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the health and safety of students and campuses and has urged

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their treatment and prevention professionals to take a formal

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stand against the release of this game; and

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WHEREAS, It is in the public interest of children and the

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citizens of this Commonwealth to keep School Shooter and other

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morally reprehensible video games out of the hands of children;

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therefore be it

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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives, through this

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resolution, alert parents, students, school personnel and

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citizens of this Commonwealth about the release of "School

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Shooter: North American Tour 2012"; and be it further

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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge the game's

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creators and distributors to cease production and distribution

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of School Shooter; and be it further

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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives strongly

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encourage parents, guardians and others to carefully monitor

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their children's use of all media and encourage that they assist

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in controlling the video games their children play; and be it

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further

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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge retailers to

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better monitor and police sales and purchases of violent video

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games and not to offer School Shooter for sale at their retail

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establishments; and be it further

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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives encourage media,

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including the print and broadcast media, to inform readers and

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viewers about the release and content of School Shooter; and be

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it further

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RESOLVED, That the General Assembly seriously consider the

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establishment of a consumer education program on video and

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computer games as recommended in the Joint State Government

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Commission's Report of the Task Force on Violent Interactive

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Video Games.

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