Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) needs your help to advance legislation to make Missouri the eighth state to enact “Bentley’s and Mason’s Law” The legislation, SB 1135 by Sen. Henderson and HB 1910 by Representative Williams, requires impaired drivers to pay restitution in the form of child support to a surviving spouse or other relatives who are raising the children of impaired driving victims until the children turn 18.

Bentley’s and Mason’s Law better ensures justice and accountability. MADD believes that passing this proposal will make people think twice before getting behind the wheel impaired. If a person makes the choice to drive impaired and kills a parent, the person will encounter another consequence for their deadly decision. To the victims of the impaired drivers, this proposal allows for another avenue of restitution to help ensure justice.

Nationally, this legislative movement is called Bentley’s Law. Since 2022, seven states enacted Bentley’s Law: Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas, Maine, South Dakota, Utah and Montana. Bentley’s Law is an initiative led by Missouri resident Cecilia Williams and named for her grandson, Bentley, whose parents Lacey Newton and Cordell Shawn Michael Williams and their 4-month-old son, Cordell Shawn Michael Williams II, were killed in a fiery crash on April 13, 2021.

On this page, please email your Missouri lawmakers in support of creating Bentley’s and Mason’s Law.