Bye bye to Oklahoma’s attempt at a violent video game tax

At the beginning of the month I wrote about the news that Oklahoma was trying to pass a bill that would see all violent video games get an additional tax tacked onto them and at the end of the post I suggested that if the bill passed that it would end up in the courts.

Well it won’t be going to the courts as the news out today is that the bill has been defeated, by a 5-6 vote, in the Oklahoma House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Revenue and Taxation.

It would seem, at least according to the Oklahoma Watchdog site that the bill’s original sponsor, Will Fourkiller (D), had figured out that maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all just prior to the bill going to committee.

The idea as proposed by Fourkiller was ripped apart by Representative Pat Owenby (R) and Oklahoma City rep Mike Reynolds (R)

Reynolds: I don’t see many task forces that meet beyond the legislative session. What do you hope to accomplish?

Forkiller [sic]: ways to curb childhood obesity and also bullying that go on today.

Reynolds: so you’re saying video games lead to obesity?

Fourkiller: they can contribute to obesity.

Ownbey: why just video games? Why not French fries or rap music or movies?

Fourkiller: we have to start somewhere. There’s no magic bullet that will solve these issues, but I want to raise awareness of these two issues.

via Oklahoma Watchdog

As a side effect of this defeat is that Oklahoma may not face the same fate as California did when they tried the same thing only to end up in court where lost and it ended up costing the state $1.8 million.

via Geekosystem