In June we heard that the New York State Senate was working on new legislation to better regulate console video game content.  Turns out, Proposition A11717 was signed into law last night by Governor David Paterson.

Paterson issued a statement in a press release, which GamePolitics has acquired a copy of:

"Governor David A. Paterson signed a package of bills, many of which are focused on public safety and protecting the rights of New York residents. [One of these will] ensure the State will explore the negative effects of violent video games.

'We have the obligation to be constantly vigilant about amending our laws to protect the residents of New York State. Many of these bills will do just that by closing loopholes or creating new laws to enhance the quality of life for all New Yorkers,' said Governor Paterson...

...A.11717 / S.6401-A [the video game bill] establishes an advisory council to conduct a study on the connection between interactive media and real-life violence in minors exposed to such media. This bill will also require new video game consoles to have parental lockout features by 2010, and mandate that games sold at retail disclose the ratings obtained from the gaming industry's voluntary rating system."

Previously, the ESA had been urging members of its Video Game Voters Network to oppose the bill.  As we first reported last month, A11717 is comprised of three major parts: parental control on new consoles, the establishment of a 16-member video game advisory board, and game packaging that displays ESRB ratings. 

At the time, we thought the bill would not go through because two of the three components listed already exist (cue skepticism), leaving only the advisory board.  As it turns out, two of the sixteen seats have already been promised to the ESA and EMA, respectively, so that the video game industry and its retailers are not without say.

Still, any video game law tends to annoy the ESA.  VP Richard Taylor expressed as much in a comment to GamePolitics:

"The state has ignored legal precedent, common sense and the wishes of many New Yorkers in enacting this unnecessary bill. This government intrusion will cost taxpayers money and impose unconstitutional mandates for activities and technologies that are already voluntarily in place. It also unfairly singles out the videogame industry over all other forms of media. One wonders where this overreach by government in New York will end. If New York lawmakers feel it is the role of government to convene a government commission on game content, they could next turn to other content such as books, theater and film."

No word of whether or not the ESA will be filing a court complaint -- as is their usual course of action when video game laws come to pass.