Those convicted of vehicular homicide while impaired will have to provide financial support to the families of their victims under a bill proposed by Senator Will Parkinson. A public hearing was held on the measure earlier this week.

Testifying from the U.S. mainland was Cecilia Williams of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. She said legislation such as this is very personal. Her son, daughter-in-law and 4-month-old grandson were killed two years ago by a drunk driver.

"There is really no true consequence as to what the offender thinks," she stated. "I have found repeat offender after repeat offender, and then I find families like mine who are left to raise children again, and that financially is not easy on anyone. With the Bill 84-37, this bill will help families financially raise children.

"This is also about accountability, its also about helping the offender understand the consequences of their actions and helping them to learn never to do it again."

Also testifying was Frank Harris, director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving's state government affairs. "And the reason this is so important today is in the United States drunk driving deaths have increased 31% since 2019. The battle against drunk driving is far from over and I imagine it's the same in Guam. And in the States, some states like Texas and Arizona in 2021 saw drunk driving deaths at rates not seen since the early 1980's. So the problem of drunk driving has truly increased and has regressed as well the progress we've made against it."

MADD launched the effort two years ago to get state legislatures to enact laws mandating restitution, and so far four states have done so.