ESA seeking $1.1m payout from California after Supreme Court ruling
After losing its bid to impose a law that would make the sale of mature-rated games to minors illegal, the state of California has been asked to reimburse the Electronic Software Association for the industry body's role in the lobbying.
The proposed legislation was deemed 'unconstitutional' and found to run counter to the First Amendment by the Supreme Court. The ESA, who fought the law from the offset, want compensation for its legal costs from the beleaguered state.
"From the start of this misguided legislation, then-Governor Schwarzenegger and specific California legislators knew that their efforts to censor and restrict expression were, as court after court ruled, unconstitutional and thus a waste of taxpayers’ money, government time, and state resources," Michael Gallagher, ESA CEO, said on the matter.
In previous cases with failed gaming laws in other states, the ESA was reimbursed costs associated with its lobbying and legal fees.