REUTERS/Chris Helgren
A lawmaker in Illinois has proposed legislation that would help enforce the removal of virtual Pokéstops in Pokémon Go, the popular mobile game for iPhones and Android smartphones.
Illinois State Rep. Kelly Cassidy recently introduced a bill nicknamed "Pidgey's Law," a nod to a common bird Pokémon in the game. If passed, the bill would fine Pokémon Go creator Niantic Labs for not removing virtual stops in the game at the request of a property owner.
Cassidy told reporters on Wednesday that the bill was proposed because of Niantic's refusal to remove a Pokéstop that was located in Loyola Dunes, a state-protected park with endangered wildlife, according to DNAinfo.
Under the bill proposal, a location-based video game developer like Niantic would have two days to remove an "ecologically sensitive," "historically significant," or dangerous location if asked by the property owner or custodian. Failure to do so after two days would result in a $100 fine per day.
Niantic lets people ask for the removal of Pokéstops, which give players items in the game and attract Pokémon, through a web form on its website.
Some controversial Pokéstops, such as ones at the Holocaust Museum and Hiroshima Memorial, have been removed by Niantic after public outcry and media coverage. Cassidy said that "a couple hundred requests" had been made about the Loyola Dunes Pokéstop but Niantic had yet to remove the stop from the game, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Niantic didn't respond to Business Insider's request for comment.