A Californian bill aimed at game preservation and backed by the Stop Killing Games campaign has been voted through by a state committee focused on the fiscal cost of proposed legislation – thereby taking a key step closer to becoming a proper law. The bill, as we’ve previously reported would require that studios either take action to keep games running after server shutterings, or provide full refunds if it passes in its current form, and faces opposition from the Entertainment Software Association.
The bill, known as AB 1921, faced its third state government committee hearing yesterday, May 14th. This one saw it put before the California State Assembly’s Committee on Appropriations, whose specific job is to review bills “with any fiscal impact to the state government”. Basically, any bill that could cost the state money or has similar sorts of financial implications.
AB 1921 passed this hurdle as amended, amassing 11 votes in favour to two against, while two voters abstained. Cue celebrations from Stop Killing Games, though it’s worth noting the bill’s still got a ways to go before it potentially becomes a law. Next up is a floor vote that’ll involve the entire California State Assembly. Judging by the body’s rundown of their legislative process, the bill will need to land a healthy majority in favour during this next vote to progress straight to the next stage.
The final step, assuming the bill makes it through the state assembly and/or senate voting process, is to send it to the Californian governor, currently Gavin Newsom. The governor would have 12 days to sign, approve without signing, or veto the bill. If it’s vetoed, the governor’s office have to publicly explain why that decision’s been made, and a two-thirds vote in each house of the state legislature is needed if the veto is to be overriden.
So, in no way is the bill home and dry yet, but it is continuing to pick its way through the various checks following some fairly heavy wording revisions early doors. If it does pass, it could be a major step in Stop Killing Games’ worldwide push to get end-of-life plans for online games set into law. That’s assuming the precedent is one that might then be used either as a basis for legislation in other countries or simply something that helps convince governments that there’s a need to re-examine their current laws when it comes to consumer rights and digital games.
