Tennessee bill requires drunk drivers to pay child support to children of victims

In Tennessee, a bill that requires drunk drivers to pay child support for their victims' children is on the way to the governor's desk.

Known as "Ethan, Hailey and Bentley's Law," courts can determine the amount of child support on a case-by-case basis, depending on the circumstances surrounding the child's living guardians.

The bill requires anyone convicted of vehicular homicide due to intoxication, or aggravated vehicular homicide, when the victim is the parent of a minor child, to pay restitution for each child until they are 18 and have graduated high school.

The law was named after two cases involving Tennessee children whose parents were killed by drunk drivers.

If a defendant is unable to pay while incarcerated, they will have one year after their release to begin payment.