Petitions/Impose financial penalties when parent is killed due to dangerous driving
StatusOngoing
Opened7 Apr 2026
Closes
Government response
Parliamentary debateNot eligible
Milestones

We want courts to be able to order those convicted of killing a parent through drink driving, drug driving, dangerous driving or hit-and-run offences to pay ongoing financial support for the child. This could be known as "Butler’s Law".

When a reckless driver takes a parent’s life, the children left behind often lose both emotional and financial support. Current systems do not fully recognise the long-term impact on those children. Butler’s Law would ensure courts can consider ordering the guilty party to pay financial support to the child. This way, responsibility would not end with a prison sentence.

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Constituency engagement ranking

Paul Maskey
1Paul Maskey MP
Belfast West
298
Sorcha Eastwood
2Sorcha Eastwood MP
Lagan Valley
70
John Finucane
3John Finucane MP
Belfast North
49
Dáire Hughes
4Dáire Hughes MP
Newry and Armagh
36
Chris Hazzard
5Chris Hazzard MP
South Down
36
Robin Swann
6Robin Swann MP
South Antrim
31
Claire Hanna
7Claire Hanna MP
Belfast South and Mid Down
25
Jim Shannon
8Jim Shannon MP
Strangford
22
Gavin Robinson
9Gavin Robinson MP
Belfast East
19
Carla Lockhart
10Carla Lockhart MP
Upper Bann
18