State Approves Bill That Would Make Drunk Drivers Pay Child Support If They Are Responsible For The Death Of A Parent

Tennessee has passed a bill that would make drunk drivers pay child support if a parent dies because of intoxication or aggravated vehicular homicide.

House Bill 1834 will make it mandatory for a person who is found guilty of vehicular homicide to pay restitution. This would come in the form of child maintenance if their victim had a child who was a minor. Each child would receive the money until they turned 18 and are out of high school.

The funds are close to the same normal child support where the parent pays the main caregiver of their child until the child turns 18.

The total amount of money to be paid depends on the money that is needed for the child and resources of the child and their parent that is still living. This includes the state if the child is in custody of the Department of Children’s Services.

If the defendant is imprisoned and can’t pay the mandatory child support, they will be provided one year after they are freed from incarceration to start the payments.

The bill was named “Ethan, Haile, and Bentley’s Law”, prior to it being passed.

These are the offsprings of Nicholas Galinger. The 38-year-old was a police officer in Tennessee. He died after Janet Hinds was drunk and struck him with her vehicle in 2019.

In February, Hinds was given 11 years in prison for the deadly hit-and-run.