05/21/2026
This is good to see. Let's hope some more states follow.
A Missouri lawmakers have officially approved “Bentley and Mason’s Law,” sending the bill to the governor’s desk after years of emotional advocacy from one grieving grandmother.
The legislation was inspired by Cecilia Williams, whose son, daughter-in-law, and four-month-old grandson were killed in a 2021 drunk driving crash in Byrnes Mill, Missouri.
Williams stepped in to raise her surviving grandsons, Bentley and Mason, and began pushing for a law that would hold impaired drivers financially accountable when children lose their parents in deadly crashes.
Under the bill:
• Drivers convicted of intoxication-related vehicular manslaughter would be required to pay child support to surviving children.
• Payments could begin after release from prison if the offender is incarcerated.
• Support would continue until the child turns 18, or 21 if still enrolled in school.
• Missouri courts would calculate payment amounts using standard child-support guidelines.
While Missouri debated the legislation, several other states moved first, including Tennessee, Texas, Kentucky, Maine, Utah, and Alabama.
If signed by the governor, the law is expected to take effect on August 28, 2026.
Supporters say the measure is about long-term accountability, ensuring children who lose parents to drunk drivers are not left carrying the financial burden alone.
