BEAUMONT, Texas — People who drive drunk and get convicted of intoxication manslaughter will soon face a new penalty in Texas.
A new state law that takes effect September 1, 2023 will force defendants to pay child support for their victims' kids.
This is restitution is supposed to ease the burden on families.
House Bill 393, also known as Bentley's Law was named after the son of a victim killed by a drunk driver.
12News got the reaction about the new law from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
"The consequences of their action, they still have to face it every single month when they write a check," said MADD Manager of Victim Services Casie Harris.
The payments will start a year after the defendant is released from prison and continue until those children turn 18-years-old.
"My brother was killed by an intoxicated driver in 2011, and my nephew was in 5th grade, and to stop and think about, you know, the struggles of raising a child by yourself, losing that second income," Harris said.
For people like Harris, this law is long overdue.
"You know, what could that have done? What kind of benefits could my own family have had from this law being passed?" Harris told 12News.
Harris hopes Bentley's Law will make everyone this Labor Day weekend think before getting behind the wheel while intoxicated.
"We have a slogan now. You can't drive drunk if you don't drive there, so plan ahead. You don't accidentally drink, and you don't accidentally drive," said Harris.
The convicted defendant would be required to make payments on a regular basis to either a parent, guardian or the state through CPS.