North Dakota has taken a significant step in combating drunk driving, as Governor Kelly Armstrong has signed House Bill 1503, also known as Tyanna’s Law, into state law. This bill aims to increase penalties for those who inflict bodily injury while driving under the influence, upgrading the charge from a Class C to a Class B felony. This change means that the maximum incarceration period will now be 10 years, rather than five.
The bill was inspired by the story of Tyanna Weeks, a Minot teenager who suffered life-threatening injuries in a head-on collision with a wrong-way driver who was under the influence. Despite the severity of her injuries, Weeks survived and underwent extensive rehabilitation out of state. She has continued to recover and was able to complete her high school degree.
Tyanna’s Law received bipartisan support in the legislature, passing with overwhelming majorities in both the House and Senate. The bill’s signing was attended by Weeks, her family, and lawmakers who backed the bill. Miss Teen North Dakota, Tayler Christianson, who spoke in support of the bill, also participated in the signing ceremony. The new law will go into effect on August 1.