Louisiana's second games bill signed into law

Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco has signed into law a new games bill which extends the state's current list of sexually explicit material considered harmful to minors.

Like similar laws passed in Maryland, the latest bill seeks to include games in the same category as pornographic videos, books and magazines.

Because the definition of "harmful to minors" deals exclusively with sexually explicit and not "violent" content, the bill is wholly approved and will not be contested by trade organisation the Entertainment Software Association.

The bill was unanimously passed by the Louisiana House earlier this month, and Governor Blanco's signature to implement the bill as law was considered a foregone conclusion.

The state's secondary games bill - co-authored by notorious anti-games campaigner Jack Thompson - has been temporarily blocked by the District Court, pending a full hearing in which the ESA and EMA are seeking a permanent injunction on grounds of infringement of First Amendment rights.