Laws will inform parents and protect children from violent video games; require the use of clean diesel fuel on County vehicles and vehicles used in County work
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Mineola, N.Y. –Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi today signed into law two pieces of legislation, one of which requires retailers to clearly post video game ratingsand another law that mandates the use of clean diesel fuel and the installation of filter devices on most County vehicles as well as vehicles used by County contractors that perform County work.
“Both of these laws will protect the residents of Nassau County in two different but important ways,” said County Executive Suozzi “The first ensures that parents know the facts when it comes to buying the appropriate video games. All too often, parents don’t know the violent and explicit content in some of these games before giving them to their children.
Sponsored by Legislator Dave Mejias (D- N. Massapequa), the new video game rating law requires Nassau County video game retailers who sell video games that are labeled with a rating system to post a sign providing information about the rating system and to also provide consumers with written information about the system. Violators can be fined up to $500 and will be given an opportunity to be heard in a proceeding before the Commissioner of Consumer Affairs.
The Entertainers Software Rating Board provides ratings in two parts: rating symbols which suggest age –appropriateness for the game and content descriptions. The ratings include- C-for early childhood; E-for everyone; E 10+-Everyone 10 and older; T-Teen; M-mature, 17+; Adults-adults only; and RP-rating pending.
Legislator David Denenberg (D-Merrick) sponsored the new law that requires all county owned heavy duty vehicles (used in on-road and off-road applications) and those under contract with the county use ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel (ULSD) by 2013.The bill defines ULSD as diesel fuel having a sulfur concentration of 15 parts per million or less which is now the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard for on-highway diesel fuel.The law also requires these vehicles to be fitted with best available retrofit technologies to reduce tailpipe emissions.These devices are also readily available having been installed on thousands of vehicles in New York.
“This provides yet another example of the how county is taking a leadership role in cleaning up the environment. Two weeks ago, I signed a law mandating that ‘green,’ non-toxic cleaning products be used in all county facilities,” said Suozzi. “Today, I’m signing a law requiring that all county-owned heavy duty vehicles – and those under contract with the county – use ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel, which is better for the environment.”
The legislation establishes the following schedule for installing the retrofit technologies:not less than 25% of all vehicles by January 1, 2009; not less than 50% of all vehicles by January 1, 2011; and 100% of all vehicles by January 1, 2013.
