A new law in Texas requires convicted drunk drivers to pay child support if they kill a child’s parent or guardian, according to House Bill 393.

The law, which went into effect Friday, says those convicted of intoxication manslaughter must pay restitution. The offender will be expected to make those payments until the child is 18 or until the child graduates from high school, “whichever is later,” the legislation says.

Intoxication manslaughter is defined by state law as a person operating “a motor vehicle in a public place, operates an aircraft, a watercraft, or an amusement ride, or assembles a mobile amusement ride; and is intoxicated and by reason of that intoxication causes the death of another by accident or mistake.”

  • douglasg14b@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Or any rich kid:

    testified in court that the teen was a product of “affluenza” and was unable to link his actions with consequences because of his parents teaching him that wealth buys privilege

    He only killed 4 people while drunk driving 乁⁠ ⁠˘⁠ ⁠o⁠ ⁠˘⁠ ⁠ㄏ

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethan_Couch

    He got a slap on the wrist with rehabilitation. He was only actually convicted for 2 years because he habitually broke his probation.

    In Texas!


    This is just an example, not really here to make outrage out of it, old news, but a typical example that money usually softens any blow.

    • Mossy Feathers (She/They)
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      1 year ago

      Iirc most Texans were furious about that. As it turns out, his parents weren’t wrong, money does buy privilege! Sadly, Texas’ political system is so broken that even if every single person turned out to vote, the outcome likely wouldn’t change much.