KALISPELL — Community leaders in the Flathead are asking the public to join them this Thursday, Sept 3 for a DUI Reform Summit at Flathead Valley Community College in Kalispell.
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The summit will focus on DUI prevention, enforcement, recidivism and potential policy reform.
“I’m tired of watching Montanans die on our highways for things that are absolutely preventable,” said Montana House District 7 Representative Courtenay Sprunger.
Sprunger has organized a DUI Reform Summit that will bring together law enforcement, prosecutors, policymakers and community advocates looking to reduce impaired-driving crashes and fatalities in Montana.
“This is something that we can do to make a difference, and I think anytime there’s an opportunity to step up and make life safer and better for Montanans, that’s something that I want to be involved in,” said Sprunger.
Sprunger said the DUI Reform Summit is open to the public and includes an interactive DUI Experience designed to demonstrate the practical consequences of impaired driving.
The summit will also have two separate panel discussions focusing on DUI policy and enforcement and community advocacy and legislative changes.
“Change takes a village and the reality is that something like DUI reform has been attempted in many states, it’s been tried here in Montana frankly without a lot of success, in order to move the needle, we have to have every different part of the solution and all those people that represent it together to basically effect change,” said Sprunger.
Montana Bar Fairies Co-Founder Beth McBride helped pass legislation called “Bobby’s Law” in 2025, which enforces stricter punishment for fatal DUI’s.
McBride’s son Bobby Dewbre was killed by a drunk driver in 2023.
“The fact of the matter is that the majority of people know someone who has been killed or severely injured by a DUI,” said McBride.
McBride said community members from all walks of like need to come together to help reduce DUI fatalities across the state.
‘We went through the statistics and you’re 50 times more likely to be killed by a drunk driver than a bear in Montana, so you know this is a reality,” said McBride.
The DUI Reform Summit starts at 4 p.m. at Flathead Valley Community College's Arts & Technology Building with the DUI Interactive experience followed by two panel discussions starting at 6 p.m.
