Us Code § 161 - Operation of motor vehicles by intoxicated minors

Full text of Us Code United States Code § 161 — Operation of motor vehicles by intoxicated minors, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.

§ 161. Operation of motor vehicles by intoxicated minors

(a) Withholding of Apportionments for Noncompliance.—

(1) Prior to fiscal year 2012.—The Secretary shall withhold 10 percent (including any amounts withheld under paragraph (1)) of the amount required to be apportioned to any State under each of paragraphs (1), (3), and (4) of section 104(b) 1 on October 1, 1999, and on October 1 of each fiscal year thereafter through fiscal year 2011, if the State does not meet the requirement of paragraph (3) on that date.

(2) Fiscal year 2012 and thereafter.—The Secretary shall withhold an amount equal to 8 percent of the amount required to be apportioned to any State under each of paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 104(b) on October 1, 2011, and on October 1 of each fiscal year thereafter, if the State does not meet the requirement of paragraph (3) on that date.

(3) Requirement.—A State meets the requirement of this paragraph if the State has enacted and is enforcing a law that considers an individual under the age of 21 who has a blood alcohol concentration of 0.02 percent or greater while operating a motor vehicle in the State to be driving while intoxicated or driving under the influence of alcohol.


(b) Period of Availability; Effect of Compliance and Noncompliance.—

(1) Period of availability of withheld funds.—

(A) Funds withheld on or before september 30, 2000.—Any funds withheld under subsection (a) from apportionment to any State on or before September 30, 2000, shall remain available until the end of the third fiscal year following the fiscal year for which the funds are authorized to be appropriated.

(B) Funds withheld after september 30, 2000.—No funds withheld under this section from apportionment to any State after September 30, 2000, shall be available for apportionment to the State.


(2) Apportionment of withheld funds after compliance.—If, before the last day of the period for which funds withheld under subsection (a) from apportionment are to remain available for apportionment to a State under paragraph (1), the State meets the requirement of subsection (a)(3), the Secretary shall, on the first day on which the State meets the requirement, apportion to the State the funds withheld under subsection (a) that remain available for apportionment to the State.

(3) Period of availability of subsequently apportioned funds.—Any funds apportioned pursuant to paragraph (2) shall remain available for expenditure until the end of the third fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the funds are so apportioned. Sums not obligated at the end of that period shall lapse.

(4) Effect of noncompliance.—If, at the end of the period for which funds withheld under subsection (a) from apportionment are available for apportionment to a State under paragraph (1), the State does not meet the requirement of subsection (a)(3), the funds shall lapse.

(Added Pub. L. 104–59, title III, §320(a), Nov. 28, 1995, 109 Stat. 589; amended Pub. L. 105–178, title I, §1103(l)(3)(F), June 9, 1998, 112 Stat. 126; Pub. L. 112–141, div. A, title I, §1404(h), July 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 559.)


Editorial Notes

References in Text

Section 104, referred to in subsec. (a)(1), was amended generally by Pub. L. 112–141, div. A, title I, §1105(a), July 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 427.

Amendments

2012—Subsec. (a)(1), (2). Pub. L. 112–141 redesignated par. (2) as (1), substituted "Prior to fiscal year 2012" for "Thereafter" in par. heading, inserted "through fiscal year 2011" after "each fiscal year thereafter" in text, added par. (2), and struck out former par. (1). Prior to amendment, text of par. (1) read as follows: "The Secretary shall withhold 5 percent of the amount required to be apportioned to any State under each of paragraphs (1), (3), and (4) of section 104(b) on October 1, 1998, if the State does not meet the requirement of paragraph (3) on that date."

1998—Subsec. (a)(1), (2). Pub. L. 105–178 substituted "paragraphs (1), (3), and (4) of section 104(b)" for "paragraphs (1), (3), and (5)(B) of section 104(b)".


Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2012 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 112–141 effective Oct. 1, 2012, see section 3(a) of Pub. L. 112–141, set out as an Effective and Termination Dates of 2012 Amendment note under section 101 of this title.

1 See References in Text note below.

About This Section

23 U.S.C. § 161 is part of Title 23 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.

This section may be cited in legal writing as 23 U.S.C. § 161. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.

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Sources

Source: official Us Code text · Last verified 2026-08-27

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