This bill mandates that offenders convicted of certain impaired driving laws must participate in a "qualified online victim impact panel program." The program is defined in the bill and must meet specific criteria, including 24-hour accessibility, availability in both English and Spanish, and a minimum duration of 3.5 hours. Participants are required to pay for the program themselves, and it must not incur costs to the state or counties. The program will include personal stories from victims and offenders, a testing system for attention and comprehension, and a follow-up communication system to reinforce the program's lessons. Upon completion, participants will receive a certificate that includes the program provider's business identification number.

The bill also introduces new requirements for offenders charged with reckless driving and negligent driving offenses, stipulating that those who plead guilty to these charges, originally filed under specific impaired driving statutes, must complete the victim impact program unless exceptional circumstances are determined by the court. Additionally, the bill amends existing laws to include these requirements and sets an effective date for the act to begin on January 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 265-A:1, 265-A:18, 265:79, 265:79-b
As Amended by the House: 265-A:1, 265-A:18, 265:79, 265:79-b