Public Comments

Fines and punishment for impaired drivers should definitely be stricter. I know of a certain case where a certain person had multiple DUI’s and kept just getting a slap on the wrist. This person had just gotten the blow and go out of their vehicle and then proceeded to drive drunk again and killed someone. A young person who had lots of life left to live. Choosing to get behind the wheel of a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a dangerous choice and has taken many lives. Making that choice should not be met with just a slap on the wrist it should be met with a stiff punishment and maybe people might think twice before doing it. It’s such a horribly selfish and dangerous choice.

PLEASE pass this!! It is definitely needed! DUI causing death should always carry harsh punishment!!!

I 100% stand behind this bill. Making the decision to get behind the vehicle impaired is a decision that can ultimately affect many others who had no say in what happens as a result. If one is willing to make that kind of decision without thinking of the grave danger it can present to others, and even themselves, then they can deal with the consequences. An innocent driver just making sure they get home, or get to their destination, and then being taken away by someone who made such a reckless, selfish, foolish decision is such a tragedy. One that deserves major consequences. These consequences should try to deter people from ever making these unfair, and reckless decisions in the first place.

Baylea’s Law should be passed. No other family should have to go through what her family did and still goi g though.  Not one person is above the law and should punished to fullest extend possible. Driving impaired should never happen. Though some still choose to do this because they keep getting by with it with a slap on the wrist or small. This person caused Baylea’s death because she was selfish. She was driving, willingly, impaired and killed an innocent young girl just starting beginning net life with her new husband. Her life was not only taken but the impaired driver caused pain to this entire family that can never be repaired. Passing this Law can give them some kind of justice knowing maybe Baylea’s Law might save another persons life. Don’t let her death be for nothing.

Getting behind the wheel of a car while under the influence, especially in the current day when there are so many options, is a choice made, not an accident. People who drive under the influence are willing to accept the danger they impose on other people and this disregard for human life deserves a more severe consequence than what currently exists. Clearly, as the law stands, the consequences are not enough of a deterrent to stop driving under the influence.

justice for baylea 💙 Drunk driving is not okay, and with this bill passing it may open the eyes of others to think before getting behind the wheel impaired as they will have bigger consequences to their actions.

I strongly support Baylea’s Law (HB 1234). Families should not have to lose loved ones due to reckless and impaired driving. Increasing sentencing and fines sends a clear message that these choices have devastating consequences. Please pass this bill.

This bill should absolutely be passed. DUI is so irresponsible and can change so many people’s lives. Offenders should be punished for their crimes to a higher standard.

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It is my hope that stricter DUI laws would make people pause before getting behind the wheel while altered, which would in turn save many lives.

I agree

I support this bill.

No person should have to suffer the lose of a friend, daughter, wife due to someone else’s actions. 3 years minimum is not enough!!!

Pass this law.

The passage of a bill doubling the sentencing for DUI offenses that result in death is a necessary step to protect lives and honor those already lost. Drunk driving is not a harmless mistake; it is a deliberate decision that carries irreversible consequences. I have lost three friends to drunk driving accidents—all young, all with full lives ahead of them—and their deaths were entirely preventable. Stronger sentencing sends a clear message that choosing to drive under the influence, especially when it takes a life, will be met with serious accountability. It also serves as a powerful deterrent, reinforcing that the value of human life outweighs convenience, recklessness, or impaired judgment. By strengthening these penalties, lawmakers can help prevent future tragedies and ensure that victims and their families are not forgotten.

Baylea’s Law needs to be passed to help encourage people not to get behind the wheel intoxicated. Make them think twice about the consequences they are risking by making such a  horrible decision.

The bill should be passed because the previous bill is a slap on the wrist compared to the heartache and heartbreak that a family goes through after a senseless, tragedy. That loss and pain will never go away . So please pass this Baylea’s bill. House Bill 4712  . THANK YOU.

Please take a moment to read and truly understand this bill. It would help so many people around here. People that deserve the sentencing for their mistakes and also the people who lost their lives that deserve JUSTICE!

Hello,   I am Will Hensley and believe that the sentencing for killing someone while under the influence needs to be changed. The current sentencing doesn’t do anyone justice when a loved one is taken away. The person took someone’s life for no reason and should have to suffer steep consequences. 3-16 years is not fair whenever someone never gets to see their loved one again. The person should serve 6-30 years and be punished for their reckless actions. I hope that you will read this and understand where we all are coming from. Thank you!

Doubling the age of driving while impaired ensures those who put people’s lives at risk are properly punished. 3-15 years in jail for this is simply not enough, especially because so many young lives like Baylea Bowers have been taken due to such recklessness. Families are heartbroken and never get to see their loved one again, while those who go to jail for the crime are able to come home in three years. It is unfair , and I hope the law of doubling the time in jail is passed.

Please pass Baylee's Law! Should have been changed years ago

I think this is important

I support this bill.

Driving under the influence is not a harmless mistake; it is a conscious decision that puts innocent lives at risk. Every time someone chooses to drive impaired, they gamble with the safety of families, children, and entire communities. Despite years of awareness campaigns, DUI-related injuries and deaths continue to occur, proving that current penalties are not enough to deter dangerous behavior. When the consequences do not match the severity of the risk, lives are lost that never should have been.

It is truly a shame that currently an impaired driver who takes the life of an innocent person may only receive a sentence of three years. Not to mention time served, good behavior, and whatever else that may actually reduce that minuscule sentencing. The punishment simply doesn’t fit the crime as it stands. If increasing the years of sentencing and the fines related to this crime could help deter, even if by a fraction, then it is worth it.

DUI causing death should be taken seriously. It should be a minimum of 15 years.

this law needs to be passed!! Baylea deserves justice!! stop drinking and driving!!!!! RIP Beautiful Girl!! You’ll never be forgotten!!

This law should be passed! So many lives are taken each year due to DUI! Passing this law should make others think twice!

This needs to be passed, for the people who have been killed and paying the price for other people’s crimes. The family’s have to suffer and live through these terrible tragedies while the people who made irresponsible decisions, get a slap on the wrist.

Please pass law

Baylea was my cousin who’s life was taken to soon by a drunk driver, she deserved to live, have kids, and so many more milestones in life and even tho no amount of time will ever repair I think we need the law to be stricter about impaired driving.

Pass the Bayleas Law!

She was a friend of mine and as someone with a father who habitually drank and drove. Maybe had he had stricter lessons maybe he wouldn't have nearly killed me multiple times as a child.

SAVE OUR CHILDREN

Praying this bill gets passed so that justice will be served for Baylea’s family and all families who have suffered. Baylea was a beautiful person and did not deserve to be taken from her family by this persons selfish actions.

I support this new law.

I think this is very important! Not only did a family close to me loose someone very important due to an impaired driver, but also our community feels the loss of Bailey! Such a beautiful young lady who literally had her whole life ahead of her, and it was cut short by someone who made a terrible decision! This could’ve been prevented, and justice needs to be the full extent! This family needs closure!

JUSTICE FOR BAYLEA🩵

Pass

I support this bill

There should be tougher laws for people who drive drunk or on drugs and take a life.

Anyone driving under the influence shouldn’t ever be able to walk the streets with the rest of us. The loved ones that lose these family members never get to hug or hold their loved ones again. Therefore the one causing the death by being intoxicated shouldn’t either.

this law should 100% be approved but also should be more than 30 years. they chose what they did and took another life and clearly didn’t care for their actions. they should get way more than the “maximum”.

I believe if someone is careless enough to make the decision to be under the influence of anything and drive, they deserve the maximum they can get.

Please pass this law !

Absolutely no reason why it shouldn’t get passed, dui causing death is murder is it should be treated the same

This law should be passed! I’ve lost quite a few friends to drinking and driving! They don’t ask for their life to be taken by someone who decided it would be great to be driving while intoxicated

It should be passed

The penalties for DUI resulting in death are too lenient and must be strengthened.

I support this bill

I believe that this bill should be used when sentencing Destiny Lester for the Death of Baylee Bower she did not ask for her life to be taken by Destiny. Destiny knew what she was risking when she got into that car by being under the influence.

Please pass this much needed law to help prevent drinking and driving in our state, and making those who choose to do so and harm others pay the maximum penalty.

The fact this isn’t a bill already is a problem! It needs to be done.

The law needs to change for the family's that have lost a loved one due to someone drinking and driving, doesnt bring the person back but will be Justice for them.

The amount of deaths and life changing injuries caused by driving under the influence is sickening. Until your loved ones are affected by such a saddening event, it’s hard to really imagine how terrible these uncalled for actions impacts families and lives. Everything is changed for innocent individuals in just a matter of seconds over something that can absolutely be avoided. Several innocent lives affected by these uncalled for decisions are taken years too soon. While others that are blessed enough to survive these circumstances, their lives are changed for the rest of their time here. No matter how much time goes by from the end result of these decisions such as holidays, everyday activities, futures and dreams, can and have been changed from these types of terrible decisions, never heal. We need to stand together and make these types of decisions avoidable for the future of innocent lives. Maximum punishment should be required for such life changing actions.

Please vote for Baylea's law. By now, everyone knows the consequences of getting behind the wheel impaired but it does not seem that most so not take it seriously enough. You would think the thought of taking a life would be enough but unfortunately it's not. Please pass this into law so that people see the punishment so severe that maybe that will make people take this more serious. Baylea was a wonderful young lady and I had the pleasure of watching her grow up. Her life was taken way too soon and the person responsible should face the maximum sentence, even though it will not bring her back. I pray this will pass in her honor. God Bless and guide you to make the right decision.

I agree to this bill

This should be the bare minimum

I believe that this bill should be passed because an innocent life was taken by someone’s poor decisions. With all the evidence presented there is no way that Destany was not under the influence that caused this tragedy.

I support this law. My thoughts and prayers are continually with Baylea’s family.

100% agree! Make people think about what drinking and driving can do and what consequences follow. Even than 30 years is not enough for murder and that's the max?  And that's exactly what it is, murder.

I am 100% for longer punishment for ending a life. Honestly, it should be longer. My family suffered a huge loss when we lost Baylea, and no parent should ever have to go through what Baylea’s mother and father are having to go through. Maybe a longer punishment will take a few more drunk drivers off the road, and maybe have a little more consideration for others.

I agree with the Bayle law

3-15 years for murder? Ask yourself if someone under the influence took the life of your child, spouse, mother, father, or anyone you love, would you feel justice was served if that murderer walked in three years? Maybe if the laws were more strict, it may make people think twice before getting behind the wheel under the influence.

As a mom of a girl wrestler I fully support this bill. Girls wrestling should be a sanctioned sport. Especially for Middle and High School female wrestlers. My daughter is six and wants to continue a sport she loves. Once they reach a certain age it’s hard and unfair to compete against males and some what inappropriate. Super excited for the future of girls wrestling in WV.

Should absolutely pass this law!

No law could replace taking the life of another but the sentencing should change an be strict enough to make someone stop and think

In hopes that this law will open the eyes of many people around the world, but specifically West Virginia, as a 23 year old citizen of WV and a young woman who knew Baylea personally, please pass this law. It has the potential to save many other people’s lives.

Dear Members of the West Virginia Legislature, I strongly support the passage of Baylea’s Law to honor Baylea’s life, which was tragically lost due to an impaired driver. Increasing the sentencing and fines for DUI causing death reflects the seriousness of these preventable tragedies and sends a clear message that impaired driving will not be tolerated. Stronger penalties promote accountability, encourage safer choices, and help protect our communities. I urge you to vote in favor of Baylea’s Law. Respectfully, Katlyn Jarrett

When I was 12 years old, my mother and sister were hit head on by a drunk driver while leaving a church parking lot. They were leaving my uncles wedding rehearsal. My dad and I had just  gotten home moments prior before receiving a frantic phone call from my soon-to-be aunt. We rushed to the scene where we found my mother’s entire car destroyed and the smell of smoke filled the air. Miraculously, they survived with minimal injuries. Shortly after emergency personnel arrived to the scene, we learned that the driver was completely inebriated when he crashed into my mother’s car. I can still feel the rage and anger that I felt during that moment. Tears were uncontrollably streaming down my face. Not from sadness, but from anger. This incident was neither his first DUI nor his last. In that moment, I realized how someone’s poor, selfish decision could have changed my life entirely. That moment of reflection isn’t afforded to everyone. It wasn’t afforded to Baylea’s family. Their life HAS changed entirely since this time last year. They are not the first ones to experience this grief, and they will not be the last. What happened to my family is one of several reasons that inspired me to go to law school. What happened to Baylea’s family is one of several reasons why I stay in law school. Increasing the penalty for DUI resulting in death is not a harsh sentence, but a just and necessary consequence for an individual who chooses to drive under the influence.

Absolutely this should be a law.  No one should get by with a few years sentence with killing an innocent person by driving DUI.

Pass Bayleas Law.

Holding people accountable for their actions is 100% necessary.

PASS Baylea’s law!

Please extend the punishment for this crime. 3-15 isn’t enough time to spend!

Please consider this new law to help keep the ones under the influence off the roads and protect our people.

Baylea was a part of our family for sometime. We are saddened by the loss of her due to a drunk driver and drugs. We hope to get this law passed in honor of Baylea Craig Bower. Love and prayers to her family and friends!💕🙏🏻 She is terribly missed.

3 years being the current minimum is sad, and does not represent the extent of the crime committed. These are actions chosen. Anyone who drinks alcohol knows the night will come to an end, but yet these people choose to risk the lives of the people around them. There are too many options in today’s world besides getting into the driver’s seat: uber, Lyft, call a friend, text a friend, etc. 3 years is not justice.

I hope this will change things.

This law needs passed for so many reasons. This could help save many lives.

I personally think this is an amazing bill that should 100% be passed. If someone can willingly get behind the wheel under the influence and that lead to the death of an individual then they should legally be held accountable for up to 30 years in prison…. The individual they caused death upon doesn’t even get the chance to live but the one who caused the incident gets slapped on the wrist with only 15 years tops right now and usually they never have to stay in there that long to begin with. It’s unfair.

I trust that our legislative system start to work and put this law in place!!!

There is no “fine, charge, or conviction” large enough for someone who knowingly gets behind the wheel while impaired. Risking the lives of other innocent people is unacceptable. A minimum of 3 years for a life taken is not justifiable. Praying this law is passed with ease.

Baylea was a friend to all. Never knew a stranger. She would’ve given the shirt off her back to anyone and always rooted for the underdog. This sweet girl was killed by a drunk driver on Easter morning while headed home to be with her family. She was only married for one month and hadn’t even gotten to start her life yet. If this bill were to be passed it could save many lives. Give this girl the justice she deserves and pass this bill to save others from the carelessness of drunk drivers.

I am 100% for this law .

Although I did not know Baylea personally , I have seen so many testimonies of the wonderful person she was. Such an amazing soul taken way too soon. I can only pray it is taken into consideration the sentencing being doubled or even a few years added to it because no amount of time could ever be enough for taking a life but it could save others if the punishment was more harsh. This woman could have grown up to be a doctor , a president or even birthed a child of her own that finds the cure to cancer but she will never get that chance now because of people choosing to drive impaired because they don’t fear the consequences that come along with it. May what happened to Baylea never be forgotten and help save and change the lives of others.

I think the punishment should be even more significant than presented here. This behavior is unacceptable. You cannot risk the lives of others for your selfish addictions.

I am sure this is not the only case that someone was not just drunk.. but absolutely plastered driving on cocaine and speeding not just 10 over but like 20+ over.. that goes beyond “accident”. I personally think there is a difference between accident and then reckless disregard for human life. I personally do not think that a DUI should have this nature should over have the punishment of 3-15 years because she had a reckless disregard for human life and that should be more treated along the lines of murder. At least give the courts the opportunity to decide to what severity the crime was and up the limit to a higher number of years. I could see a DUI not being extreme and then there is this case.. there is a difference . Let this start a standard that if you commit murder by driving drunk you don’t get out with a hand slap. Make people think twice and save lives… I should be spending holidays with my best friend and instead I can’t get into a car without being paranoid and it’s almost a year later. This trauma will run deep and I know I am not alone. Just think about it . Thank you.

I believe Baylea's life could have been so much more and she would’ve been phenomenal!! No time behind a cell can compare to the fact that a life was lost. Being a teen myself, I know better than to get behind a wheel drunk, let alone get drunk period!! Baylea deserves justice, Baylea's family and friends deserve justice, and I believe this bill passing will give the family the closure they deserve!!

What is just punishment for taking a life? There is no punishment that will ever be enough for the life of someone you love. The current punishment for taking a life by driving under the influence in WV is 3-15 years. Lawmakers, take a look at this bill and ask yourself what would you want the punishment to be if the life taken was your child? A daughter, son, mother, father? What if this was yours? Would 3 years be enough? There are no words to describe the pain of this loss. The punishment could never be enough to erase the pain but 3 years for a life is unbelievable!!! #justiceforbaylea (stated by Steve Lewis and I couldn’t agree more).

Absolutely. This would be wonderful.

I fully support this...actually think min sentence should be 15 yrs for dui causing death and fines should be x5.