Federal judge strikes down Illinois ‘safe games’ legislation News
Federal judge strikes down Illinois ‘safe games’ legislation

[JURIST] US District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly [official profile] of the Northern District of Illinois ruled [opinion text, PDF] Friday that an Illinois law restricting the sale and rental of violent or sexually explicit video games to minors is an unconstitutional restriction of free speech. The law was set to go into effect January 1 and would have been the first of its kind nationwide, imposing fines of $500 to $1,000. Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich [official website] said he will appeal the ruling, despite the fact that all similar laws proposed in other states have been struck down. Blagojevich signed [JURIST report] the Safe Games Illinois Act [text] in July following its passage by the Illinois Senate [JURIST report]. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Laws of Burgos put into effect

The Spanish Crown put the Laws of Burgos into effect on December 27, 1512. These laws governed the relationship of Spanish settlers with the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean. The laws established the encomienda system of labor, promoted conversion to Catholicism, and safeguarded the indigenous peoples from physical abuse.  However, historians argue that the laws were ineffective at protecting the rights of the indigenous population. Learn more from the Library of Congress.

Prohibitionist Carrie Nation carried out her first public bar smashing

On December 27, 1900, militant Prohibitionist Carrie Nation carried out her first public smashing of a bar, at the Carey Hotel in Wichita, Kansas. Nation argued that destroying bars was an acceptable means of battling the liquor trade since the Kansas Constitution prohibited alcohol. Learn more about Carrie Nation.

World Bank created

On December 27, 1944, the World Bank was created during the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, USA. Learn more about the history of the World Bank.