Recognizing that a law to curb the access of children to graphically violent video games is "only one piece of a complex puzzle", Senator Michael Balboni and Assemblyman Thomas DiNapoli dicussed the intent of a bill they are co-sponsoring during a recent interview. While the exact language of the bill is being developed, the three main objectives are to have an independent rating system as to the violent content of all CD-ROM and video arcade games, to restrict children's access to those games deemed too violent for their age, and to establish a fund for violence awareness and prevention programs for students, teacher and parents.

Noting that community leaders, schools, service agencies, religious groups and parents are grappling with ways of preventing violence at home and at school, Mr. DiNapoli and Mr. Balboni sent staff members, Michael Deering and Nancy Schnell, respectively, to visit some Long Island arcades and to purchase some of the most notoriously violent games. The legislators and their staffs were very taken aback by their foray into the virtual interactive world of realistically drawn victims who were dismembered, decapitated and awash with blood. According to Ms. Schnell, " We've come a long way from PacMan and Ping Pong games. These are gruesome." Mr. Deering in a separate interview added, "Some commercially packaged games were designed by the armed forces for training recruits to kill."

Currently, manufacturers devise their own rating system for video games, which Mr. DiNapoli and Mr. Balboni consider to be inadequate. The ratings are: Everyone, Teen 13+ (realistic violence), and Mature. Blockbuster gives parents, who obtain supplemental cards for their children, an option of 'restricted access' to rentals, which applies to video games as well as movies.

The intent of the legislation is not to ban these games, but to guide parents in determining whether they are age-appropriate. Both legislators envision regulating arcades better by having extreme games in separate areas for adults only. At this juncture, a determination has not been made as to which state agency would set the guidelines for rating video games.

Mr. DiNapoli feels that these extreme games do not necessarily "cause" violent behavior, but he questions the long-term effect they have on a small percentage of youth who are mesmerized by them and who may have difficulties in distinguishing reality from fantasy. He commented that even if this legislation, which is supported by the Nassau County PTA, does not pass both houses in this "unproductive" session, he and Mr. Balboni hope that by raising the issue, more parents will take a much closer look at the video games that their children or teens rent, purchase or play in arcades.