Paying Child Support for Victim’s Families in Arkansas Proposal

It's called Bentley's law and if passed it would require drunk drivers in Arkansas to pay child support for the victim's children.

RJ Hawk, a District 81 Representative is proposing Bill HB1131 which would bring into the state the Bentley Law. This was first brought to his attention by a couple of widows who lost their husbands to a drunk driver and were struggling with the hardships it put on their family, according to 5News.

Bentley's Law is intended to help and take care of kids and their families through difficult times in their life. The law started in Missouri after a woman lost her Son, daughter-in-law, and grandson killed by an intoxicated driver. She was left to care for her other grandson Bentley after which the proposed bill is named.

In July, of 2022, Tennessee became the first state to adopt the new law, and work is underway to get it passed in other states across the country.

If Bentley's Law is passed, Representative Hawk went on to say that he plans on taking the law one step further in Arkansas by including drunk drivers in boating accidents as well. According to Hawk, there is no difference in driving intoxicated in a car or boat.