Missouri representative Diane Franklin has proposed a sales tax on violent video games. According to the Associated Press , Franklin made the proposal in response to recent violent shootings and says it “would finance mental health programs and law enforcement measures to prevent mass shootings.”

Loading

In response to the proposal, the Entertainment Software Association told Joystiq that “the U.S. Supreme Court ruled only 18 months ago that laws penalizing video games are unconstitutional. Taxing First Amendment protected speech based on its content is not only wrong, but will end up costing Missouri taxpayers."The AP notes that the tax is unlikely to move forward as "Republican legislative leaders and Democratic governor Jay Nixon both have taken stands against tax increases,” but the proposal nevertheless continues the trend of politicians taking an interest in the effects of violent games, following West Virginia senator Jay Rockefeller’s proposed violent game study and Vice President Joe Biden meeting with game industry executives Franklin’s proposal isn’t the first violent video game tax to be suggested, following a bill that was shot down in Oklahoma last year For more on the conversation about violence in games, read the thoughts of various voices in the industry that we published yesterday.

Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s associate news editor. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following @garfep on Twitter or garfep on IGN.