Video Game Tax Increase Proposed By Rhode Island Rep Following Florida Shooting

Tension continues to build in North America following the tragic shooting that took the lives of 17 Stoneman Douglas High School members in Florida this past week. With talks on both sides regarding gun control and mental health, opinions only continue to become more impassioned while many try to come to terms with events like these that keep happening.

Video games have often been a scapegoat for behavior the masses can't comprehend. Just last week, the Kentucky governor laid active blame to the digital past-time in regards to the shooting. Now it appears that Rhode Island representative Robert Nardolillo has added his voice under the same notion.

In reaction to the events, Nardolillo has proposed a tax increase on violent video games to dissuade the masses from purchasing them. This includes shooters like Call of Duty and Battlefield, as well as other popular titles like Grand Theft Auto, PUBG, Red Dead, and more. He proposes that all revenue that comes from this desired tax will go towards "counseling, mental health programs and other conflict resolution activities."

You can read the full proposal in the below Facebook post:

He states that his goal with this is to keep schools safe and a "calm place for students to learn." Ultimately, that's a huge goal for everyone involved: safety. That being said, the spectrum of reactions continues to be division in the wake of bold statements. Many in the games business, as well as gamers themselves, continue to be vocal about their thoughts on being held accountable for tragedy. With conflicting studies regarding video games and their affect on violent behavior, it does tend to be one of those go-to focal points for blame.

There are already motions in place that prevent retailers from selling M-rated games to those under 17 without a parent or guardian, but it seems like that may only be the stepping stone for future policy changes. As far as this outcome goes, all we can do now is wait to see if the proposal passes and see what the next step should be. In the meantime, you can see what the US President had to say about video games and violence right here.

To read more about the most recent study regarding how video games are not necessarily linked to violence, you can check out more on that topic right here.