Governor Greg Gianforte celebrated the signing of Bobby’s Law in Flathead County, a new Montana law aimed at strengthening penalties for drunk driving fatalities. Introduced by Rep. Braxton Mitchell, the law allows prosecutors to pursue felony charges if a driver involved in a fatal crash has a blood alcohol content of 0.16 or higher, regardless of negligence. This change was inspired by the tragic death of Robert “Bobby” Dewbre, who was killed by a drunk driver whose misdemeanor sentence many, including Dewbre’s family, felt was insufficient. The law imposes prison terms of three to 30 years and fines up to $50,000 for offenders.

The law’s passage was driven by advocacy from Dewbre’s family and the nonprofit Montana Bar Fairies, founded to combat drunk driving through community outreach and policy efforts. The group’s work has gained broad support amid Montana’s high rates of drunk driving fatalities, particularly in Flathead County where 42% of road deaths involve alcohol. While Bobby’s Law cannot undo past losses, advocates hope it will prevent future tragedies and spark ongoing conversations about drunk driving safety across the state.