Federal · Title 23 — Highways

23 U.S.C. § 164: Minimum penalties for repeat offenders for driving while intoxicated or driving under the influence

Misdemeanor

What this law says, in plain English

This statute establishes minimum penalties for repeat DWI/DUI offenders, including license suspension, ignition interlock restrictions, sobriety program participation, alcohol assessment, community service, and possible jail time.

Read the full statutory text
The term “24-7 sobriety program” has the meaning given the term in section 405(d)(7)(A). The term “alcohol concentration” means grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood or grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath. The terms “driving while intoxicated” and “driving under the influence” mean driving or being in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while having an alcohol concentration above the permitted limit as established by each State. The term “motor vehicle” means a vehicle driven or drawn by mechanical power and manufactured primarily for use on public highways, but does not include a vehicle operated solely on a rail line or a commercial vehicle. a suspension of all driving privileges; a restriction on driving privileges that limits the individual to operating only motor vehicles with an ignition interlock device installed, unless a special exception applies; a restriction on driving privileges that limits the individual to operating motor vehicles only if participating in, and complying with, a 24-7 sobriety program; or any combination of clauses (i) through (iii); receive an assessment of the individual’s degree of abuse of alcohol and treatment as appropriate; and an assignment of not less than 30 days of community service; or not less than 5 days of imprisonment (unless the State certifies that the general practice is that such an individual will be incarcerated); and an assignment of not less than 60 days of community service; or not less than 10 days of imprisonment (unless the State certifies that the general practice is that such an individual will receive 10 days of incarceration). The individual is required to operate an employer’s motor vehicle in the course and scope of employment and the business entity that owns the vehicle is not owned or controlled by the individual. The individual is certified by a medical doctor as being unable to provide a deep lung breath sample for analysis by an ignition interlock device. to be used for alcohol- or multiple substance-impaired driving countermeasures; or to be directed to State and local law enforcement agencies for enforcement of laws prohibiting driving while intoxicated, driving while multiple substance-impaired, or driving under the influence and other related laws (including regulations), including the purchase of equipment, the training of officers, and the use of additional personnel for specific alcohol- or multiple substance-impaired driving countermeasures, dedicated to enforcement of the laws (including regulations). On October 1, 2021 , and each October 1 thereafter, in the case of a State described in clause (ii), the Secretary shall reserve an amount equal to 2.5 percent of the funds to be apportioned to the State on that date under each of paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 104(b) until the State certifies to the Secretary the means by which the State will use those reserved funds in accordance with subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1), and paragraph (3). that has not enacted or is not enforcing a repeat intoxicated driver law; and for which the Secretary determined for the prior fiscal year that the State had not enacted or was not enforcing a repeat intoxicated driver law. transfer the reserved funds identified by the State for use as described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1) to the apportionment of the State under section 402; and release the reserved funds identified by the State as described in paragraph (3). A State may elect to use all or a portion of the funds reserved under paragraph (2) for activities eligible under section 148. If the State makes an election under subparagraph (A), the funds shall be transferred to the department of transportation of the State, which shall be responsible for the administration of the funds. The Federal share of the cost of a project carried out with funds transferred under paragraph (1) or (2), or used under paragraph (3), shall be 100 percent. The apportionment of the State under section 104(b)(1). The apportionment of the State under section 104(b)(2). If the Secretary transfers under this subsection any funds to the apportionment of a State under section 402 for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall transfer an amount, determined under subparagraph (B), of obligation authority distributed for the fiscal year to the State for Federal-aid highways and highway safety construction programs for carrying out projects under section 402. the amount of funds transferred under subparagraph (A) to the apportionment of the State under section 402 for the fiscal year, by the amount of obligation authority distributed for the fiscal year to the State for Federal-aid highways and highway safety construction programs, bears to the total of the sums apportioned to the State for Federal-aid highways and highway safety construction programs (excluding sums not subject to any obligation limitation) for the fiscal year. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no limitation on the total of obligations for highway safety programs under section 402 shall apply to funds transferred under this subsection to the apportionment of a State under such section.

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