Bill > HB1910

This bill creates "Bentley and Mason's Law", which establishes a legal framework for child maintenance orders when a person is convicted of driving while intoxicated and that offense results in the death of a child's parent(s). The law requires the convicted person to pay child maintenance until the child dies, marries, enters military service, reaches 18 years old, or reaches 21 years old, with specific provisions for extended maintenance. If the child is physically or mentally incapacitated, or continues education in secondary school or higher education, maintenance can be extended. The court must determine a reasonable maintenance amount based on factors such as the child's financial needs, the surviving parent's resources, the standard of living the child would have experienced, and the child's educational needs. Payments must be made through the circuit clerk or family support payment center, and the law includes mechanisms for wage garnishment and enforcement. If the convicted person is incarcerated, they have up to one year after release to begin payments. The bill also accounts for potential civil actions, stipulating that if the surviving parent wins a civil judgment, the maintenance order can be offset against that judgment. Any modifications to the maintenance order can only occur with substantial, continuing changed circumstances.

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https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1910&year=2026&code=R