Bill Text: NJ A1547 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Revises legal drinking age from 21 to 18 years of age.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-01-09 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee [A1547 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-A1547-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
218th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2018 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman MICHAEL PATRICK CARROLL
District 25 (Morris and Somerset)
SYNOPSIS
Revises legal drinking age from 21 to 18 years of age.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act revising the legal drinking age and amending P.L.1972, c.81 (C.9:17B-1).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.1972, c.81 (C.9:17B-1) is amended to read as follows:
The Legislature finds and declares and by this act intends, pending the revision and amendment of the many statutory provisions involved, to:
a. Extend to persons 18 years of age and older the basic civil and contractual rights and obligations heretofore applicable only to persons 21 years of age or older, including the right to contract, sue, be sued and defend civil actions, apply for and be appointed to public employment, apply for and be granted a license or authority to engage in a business or profession subject to State regulation, serve on juries, marry, adopt children, attend and participate in horse race meetings and parimutuel betting and other legalized games and gaming, except as otherwise provided in subsection c. of this section, [sell alcoholic beverages,] act as an incorporator, registered agent or director of a corporation, consent to medical and surgical treatment, execute a will, and to inherit, purchase, mortgage or otherwise encumber and convey real and personal property.
b. Extend to persons [21] 18 years of age and older the right to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages [on January 1, 1983, provided that anyone attaining the age to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages legally prior to January 1, 1983, shall retain that right]. Nothing in this act shall preclude any licensee under R.S.33:1-1 et seq. from making purchases in the regular course of his licensed activities.
c. Extend to persons at or over the age at which a person is authorized to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages[, heretofore applicable only to persons 18 years of age or older,] the right to attend and participate in casino gaming. Nothing in this act shall preclude any licensee under the "Casino Control Act," P.L.1977, c.110 (C.5:12-1 et seq.) from attending and participating in casino gaming in the regular course of his licensed activities.
d. Abolish the right of a person between the ages of 18 and 21 years to disaffirm and be relieved of contractual obligations by reason of age.
(cf: P.L.1983, c.134, s.1)
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the third month after enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill lowers the State's drinking age in New Jersey from 21 years of age to 18 years of age.
Since 1983, New Jersey's legal drinking age has been 21 years of age. The United States Congress enacted the National Minimum Drinking Age Act in 1984 and states were highly encouraged to raise their drinking age to 21 or lose federal funding. Since 1988, 21 has been the minimum legal drinking age for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Many states, however, are re-considering their legal drinking age.
Additionally, the bill also makes technical changes to update the statute.
