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ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - Intoxicated drivers in Missouri will now face tougher consequences.

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed two laws Thursday that increase penalties for impaired drivers and require child support payments from offenders who kill a child's parent, part of a broader package of legislation signed at the Missouri State Capitol.

Bentley and Mason's Law is named after two boys who became orphans when their parents were killed by a drunk driver five years ago. Under the law, if the offender goes to jail, child support payments begin one year after release and continue until the child turns 18 or 21, depending on the child's age at the time of the parent's death. Child support would be paid in lieu of a civil judgment, and courts can extend payments if the child is mentally or physically incapacitated.

Although the concept originated in Missouri, versions of Bentley and Mason's Law have passed in six other states. A family in Tennessee was the first to receive child support payments under the law. Missouri ranks ninth in the country for driving under the influence cases, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Melanie's Law is named after a Jefferson City woman killed by a drunk driver in 2022. The law increases jail sentences for driving under the influence and requires an ignition interlock device for first-time offenders with a blood alcohol content of 0.15 or higher. It also increases the penalty for an impaired driver who kills a person from a class C felony to a class B felony, with a minimum of five years in prison before parole eligibility. If an impaired driver seriously injures a person, the charge increases from a class D felony to a class C felony.

Cecelia Williams, grandmother of Bentley and Mason, said the signing was a milestone for families across the state.

 It's a mix of emotions because of why it happened, why this bill came about, but it is also a victory, I believe, for families in Missouri,  Williams said.  These bills leave the legacy of everybody's family. It's a story that everybody 

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