(Image Source: Rebecca Pollard)

BY LEAH BECERRA

ANCHOR ZACH TOOMBS

Oklahoma State Representative William Fourkiller wants to tax violent video games in his state. Web Pro News lays out the details.

“... if voted in, [the bill] would levy a 1% tax on games rated ‘teen’, ‘mature’ or ‘adult only’. The funds raised would go towards making kids less fat and less violent.”

That Web Pro bit might seem sarcastic -- but it’s explaining that money from the tax would go toward obesity and bullying programs. KFOR spoke with Fourkiller, who says he proposed the bill after seeing bullying and obesity during his 12 years as a public school teacher.

FOURKILLER: “Not everybody is going to react the same, but I believe after hours and hours of watching the screen, playing the video game, being that person and taking on that role, people get desensitized.”

But while Fourkiller wants to target violent games, 1Up.com points out -- ESRB ratings are not always an accurate depiction of violence.

“This is problematic in that a Teen rating especially is not reflective of the level of violence in a game. Guitar Hero World Tour was rated Teen, as was The Sims 3, though would anyone consider either of those to be violent videogames?”

And while fighting bullying and obesity might be good causes, does the bill address the issues logically? TIME reports ...

“Worse, in a sense, is that the Oklahoma bill singles out video games and ignores other forms of entertainment, from television to movies and books to music. The evidence any of those mediums elicit meaningfully negative behavior in consumers is equally dubious ...”

The bill is not the first of its kind, which is why Wired reports it isn’t likely to be passed.

“The Supreme Court ruled in June that California could not declare … games obscene to exempt them from First Amendment protection. For the same and other reasons, Fourkiller’s measure … isn’t likely to pass constitutional muster even if it becomes law.”