Illinois lawmaker proposes ban on violent video games, including Grand Theft Auto

ILLINOIS (WAND) - An Illinois lawmaker is proposing a ban on the sale of violent video games, including Grand Theft Auto.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, State Rep. Marcus Evans Jr. has filed HB 3531, which would amend a 2012 law that prevents the sale of some games to minors. The legislation would prevent the sale of games that depict "psychological harm," including "motor vehicle theft with a driver or passenger present," to everyone.

Evans had said he noticed actions players can make in Grand Theft Auto and local carjacking crimes had things in common. The then reached out to several Illinois lawmakers about the idea of a ban.

The bill would change the definition of a "violent video game" to a game where players "control a character within the video game that is encouraged to perpetuate human-on-human violence in which the player kills or otherwise causes serious physical or psychological harm to another human or an animal."

According to Chicago police, officers in the city responded to 2018 carjackings in the month of January.

The bill is attached to this story in a PDF document.