Gov. Rod Blagojevich proposed bills to ban the sale of violent or sexually explicit video games to minors last month, citing studies showing that exposure to violent games can lead to aggressive behavior in children.

In what Blagojevich describes as a “common sense” proposal, two bills will be introduced into the General Assembly; one concerning violent games and the other concerning sexually explicit games. The bills have not yet been brought to the General Assembly as they are still being written.

If the bills pass, retailers will be required to label games subject to the ban and post signs in stores explaining the rating system or face fines. Retailers violating the ban will receive a maximum of one year in prison or a $5,000 fine if the bills become law.

Around the area, video game merchants are reacting to the proposal.

“It’s not a terrible idea,” said Chris Wright, manager of Game Stop in DeKalb’s. The proposed bill puts too much emphasis on retailers for something that should be left up to parents, Wright said.

Wright also said such a law would be redundant because it already is company policy to prohibit minors from buying games with the “mature” rating.

“However, that does not stop people under 17 from asking someone over 17 to buy it for them,” Wright said.

In response to concerns that decisions about video games should be left to parents, Gerardo Cardenas, Gov. Blagojevich’s Chicago press secretary, responded by saying, “We are not saying we know more than parents.”

Cardenas said the proposal is designed to help parents, and there is nothing in it to prevent them from buying banned games for their children if they choose to do so.

Sophomore computer science major Kevin Hanson disagrees with Blagojevich’s argument that video games cause violent behavior.

“There is no relation between playing the game and assuming it’s the real world,” he said. “Most, if not all, gamers find such a comment offensive.”

In addition, Hanson said he thinks the proposed punishments would be overly harsh for retailers.

“Up to a $5,000 fine or one year in jail for selling a kid a copy of ‘Halo 2’ isn’t justice,” he said.

Ryan Jones, a freshman political science major, supports the proposed ban.

“I think because of times today, I would say that the law should be passed, because there’s a lot of violence going on right now and a lot of it is coming from juveniles, and I do think that their environment and what they see has a big effect on them. So yes, I would pass it,” Jones said.

However, Jones also said he believes a parent has the right to buy violent video games for their children if they choose to do so.