Nicole Richie has signed up for a year and half alcohol education program, called SB 38, according to People.com. She was ordered to attend alcohol education as part of her DUI sentencing, for which she also received three years probation, a $2,048 fine, and four days in jail, which was cut down to just 82 minutes when she showed up to serve her time on August 24.

It sounds like Richie will have to commit a lot of time to the program. The website for SB38 says she’ll have to do interviews with a counselor twice a week as well as put in 52 hours of group counseling. That’s an entire year of weekly one-hour sessions. She’ll also have to attend 12 hours of alcohol education. I wonder if she’ll see those shocking videos of car accident victims.

Multiple Offender Drinking Driver Program (SB-38), sometimes known as the SB-38 program, (named after the sponsoring Senate Bill 38 legislation) is for people who have been convicted of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs on more than one occasion within a 7 year period. The program is 18 months in length and consists of 52 hours of group counseling, bi-weekly face –to- face interviews and 12 hours of alcohol education. Attendance at 12 step meetings is encouraged.

Whether or not the offender is ordered to go through the program by the court, he or she must complete it in order to get their drivers’ license returned. All multiple offenders have their licenses suspended or revoked for a period of 2-5 years. They must complete this state licensed program before the DMV will re-issue their license.

[From Santa Barbara Council on Alcoholism & Drug Abuse website via People.com]

It sounds like Richie is just doing what she has to do to get her life back on track, something that Britney needs dire help with. She has sworn off all drugs, alcohol and cigarettes for the health of her baby and is even said to be planning a drug-free natural birth.

Meanwhile The National Enquirer reports that six months-pregnant Richie is having a boy, and that her fiance Joel Madden is ecstatic:

“It’s a boy!” gushed soon-to-be daddy Joel Madden as he and pregnant paramour Nicole Richie shopped at Seattle’s Bootyland, buying baby tees imprinted with up-against-the-wall icons David Bowie, the Ramones, and Che Guevara… “He looked genuinely over the moon,” said a shopper. “He’s a bit nervous about being a new dad, but ecstatic that it’s a boy!”

[From The National Enquirer, print edition, Mike Walker’s column, October 1, 2007]

Well they have a 50/50 chance of being right. Back when Angelina was pregnant there were stories that she was having a boy, too.

Nicole Richie is shown out on 9/27. Thanks to WENN for these photos.