23 U.S.C. § 158 : US Code - Section 158: National minimum drinking age

Search 23 U.S.C. § 158 : US Code - Section 158: National minimum drinking age

(a) Withholding of Funds for Noncompliance. -
(1) In general. - The Secretary shall withhold 10 per centum of
the amount required to be apportioned to any State under each of
sections 104(b)(1), 104(b)(3), and 104(b)(4) of this title on the
first day of each fiscal year after the second fiscal year
beginning after September 30, 1985, in which the purchase or
public possession in such State of any alcoholic beverage by a
person who is less than twenty-one years of age is lawful.
(2) State grandfather law as complying. - If, before the later
of (A) October 1, 1986, or (B) the tenth day following the last
day of the first session the legislature of a State convenes
after the date of the enactment of this paragraph, such State has
in effect a law which makes unlawful the purchase and public
possession in such State of any alcoholic beverage by a person
who is less than 21 years of age (other than any person who is 18
years of age or older on the day preceding the effective date of
such law and at such time could lawfully purchase or publicly
possess any alcoholic beverage in such State), such State shall
be deemed to be in compliance with paragraph (1) in each fiscal
year in which such law is in effect.
(b) Effect of Withholding of Funds. - No funds withheld under
this section from apportionment to any State after September 30,
1988, shall be available for apportionment to that State.
(c) Alcoholic Beverage Defined. - As used in this section, the
term "alcoholic beverage" means -
(1) beer as defined in section 5052(a) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986,
(2) wine of not less than one-half of 1 per centum of alcohol
by volume, or
(3) distilled spirits as defined in section 5002(a)(8) of such
Code.