Why Michigan Should Pass Bentley’s Law

I'm not one of those people who are super into laws, the legal system, courts, and prison systems but the research and analysis part is interesting. Taking just a few moments to look up some statistics will have you amazed at how some things affect one population more than others. I could go on and on about how the laws aren't fair to everyone but are very important to have.

Now, one of the most debated laws are those involving family but especially kids. Yes, we're talking about child support. When there is a parent or parents that are not involved in their child's life then the government steps in and requires them to financially help at the least. Most child support laws are based on two individuals in a relationship, but Bentley's Law is a little bit different.

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There are tons of laws that are in place for those who choose to endanger themselves and others but for the most part, they choose to ignore them, just like they ignore their drinking limit. Unfortunately, many people, including children, have started losing their lives to drunk drivers which has put the courts in a sticky situation.

Bentley's Law is a child support law that is tied directly to drunk drivers and their actions. Bentley's Law says if a drunk driver ends the lives of the parent(s) of a child, that child is sent to live with the next of kin or placed in foster care. Since they don't have either parent to provide for them, the driver is now responsible and must pay child support until that child turns 18.

Bentley's Law was derived in Missouri, Bentley a young child in Missouri, lost his brother and parents in a crash with a drunk driver. After the case, the state senate wanted to find a way to penalize the driver and came across Bentley's Law. Although it didn't pass the first time, it is now law in Missouri and 4 other states.

I like this because now a family member who isn't prepared to take care of a child must do so on a whim, so the payments from child support would be extremely helpful to the family. Also, they deserve some added punishment for their questionable decisions. As of right now, this is not a law in Michigan but should be.