Cali’s governor has laid down the law. Well, his state has anyway in regard to the sale of violent video games to minors. With any luck, kids will actually stop laughing long enough to convince their parents to buy the games for them instead. What, you thought this law was going to actually work?

On Friday, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger took steps to ensure that teen gamers in his state will be doing a little less terminating in their video games.

The governor signed into law Assembly Bill 1179, which bans the sale and rental of “violent video games” to Californians under the age of 18.

Games containing the type of extreme violence described in the bill will be required to carry an “18+” label on the front of the box if they are to be sold in the Golden State. Retailers selling such games to kids would face a maximum $1,000 penalty.

“Many of these games are made for adults and choosing games that are appropriate for kids should be a decision made by their parents,” Schwarzenegger said in a statement.

Similar bills have been signed into law this year in Michigan and Illinois (see “Political Battles Against Video Games Heating Up Across The Nation”) and received support from top politicians such as Senators Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Joe Lieberman (D-CT). [Read the rest]