Gov. Mike Kehoe signed several public safety bills into law July 9, including one with deep ties to Jefferson County.
HB 1740, sponsored by Rep. Dave Griffith (R-Jefferson City), and Sen. Mike Bernskoetter (R-Jefferson City), establishes Bentley and Mason’s Law, which would require drunk drivers convicted of killing a parent to pay child support to the deceased’s surviving children.
The law also calls for longer sentences for people convicted of driving while intoxicated (DWI), including a required five years in prison for some fatal DWI convictions and 10 years without probation and parole for repeat offenders whose DWI causes a death.
The law goes into effect Aug. 28.
Bentley and Mason’s Law was born out of a tragedy in Byrnes Mill.
On April 13, 2021, Lacey Newton, 25, Cordell Williams, 30 and their 4-month-old child, Cordell Williams II, were killed by a drunk driver on Hwy. 30.
Cecilia Williams, 56, of Bonne Terre, Cordell Williams’ mother, spearheaded the bill for several years to be passed. It is named after her two grandsons, Bentley, 9, and Mason, 7, whose parents were killed in the crash.
Variations of Bentley and Mason’s Law have passed in multiple states and territories, including Tennessee, Kentucky, Maine, Utah, Montana, Guam, the Cayman Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
It is also being considered in several countries such as Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom.
Williams, along with her husband, Shawn, and her four grandchildren -- Bentley, Mason, Jayce and Camden -- attended the bill signing.
She said the law being adopted in Missouri feels like a “victory.”
“People who commit these 100 percent preventable crimes are now liable in another way,” Williams said. “It’s going to help the children that are left behind, they really are the true victims in all of this.”
Williams said her grandchildren loved the experience.
“Like any kids their age, they get in a crowd and they’re not going to pay a whole lot of attention,” Williams said. “But when we get home, that is one thing that they do, they talk about it a lot. Jayce, and even Bentley, they will look it up on YouTube, and they have been watching a lot of news channels and (reading) articles about Bentley and Mason’s Law.”
“They’re learning new things every day from it, and for them, it’s an excitement to know that people are going to be taken care of.”
Williams also said Bentley and Mason’s Law passing this year was a blessing because her husband is in hospice.
“He does not have much longer to live, so the fact that he got to see this bill passed this time, it has been an amazing thing for all of us,” she said. “I really feel that had a lot to do with the legislators and senators, MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), the advocates and everybody to push the bill harder this year because everybody knew that this was his last year.”
Sgt. Cody Umfress and Capt. Steve Schaffer of the Byrnes Mill Police Department were among the first responders the night of the crash and attended the bill signing.
Umfress said the law will be monumental for Missouri and the other states that have enacted the law.
“It originated here in Missouri, to see it finally pass in Missouri was amazing to see,” he said. “Being there with Cecilia and Mason and Bentley standing next to them whenever it was signed just means even more knowing that the hard work that they put in and all that they had to suffer through was worthwhile.”
Other bills
Kehoe also signed HB 1839 into law, which creates requirements for age verifications on adult websites containing sexual material harmful to minors.
The bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Sherri Gallick (R-Belton), and Sen. Mike Henderson, (R-Desloge).
The law also authorizes the Missouri Attorney General to enforce the new age verification requirement by imposing civil penalties on non-compliant websites.
Kehoe also signed another bill co-sponsored by Henderson. SB 1572, which was co-sponsored by Rep. Barry Hovis (R-Whitewater), that modifies provisions relating to the public employee retirement system.
Kehoe said in a statement that “public safety will always be this administration’s top priority.”
“The legislation I signed today strengthens the laws that protect our families, supports the men and women who serve our country and communities, and gives our state stronger tools to keep dangerous criminals off our streets.”
Kehoe also signed several other public safety bills into law, including:
■ SB 975, which modifies provisions relating to election districts for ambulance district’s board of directors.
■ HB 2593, which modifies the rulemaking process and eligibility for the Missouri Military Family Relief fund grants and establishes the Cybersecurity Mission Act, which authorizes the Missouri National Guard to enter into agreements for cybersecurity aid.
■ SB 1421, which directs the Missouri Division of Fire Safety to establish consistent, modern statewide fire standards for state-inspected facilities, including childcare facilities. It also updates requirements for drug trafficking charges.