I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 498 
To provide for programs and activities with respect to the prevention of 
underage drinking. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 5, 2013 
Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD (for herself, Mr. WOLF, and Ms. DELAURO) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce 
A BILL 
To provide for programs and activities with respect to the 
prevention of underage drinking. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Sober Truth on Pre-
venting Underage Drinking Reauthorization Act’’ or the 
‘‘STOP Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. AMENDMENT TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE 
ACT. 
Section 519B of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 290bb–25b) is amended by striking subsections (a) 
through (f) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘alcohol beverage industry’ 
means the brewers, vintners, distillers, importers, 
distributors, and retail or online outlets that sell or 
serve beer, wine, and distilled spirits. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘school-based prevention’ means 
programs, which are institutionalized, and run by 
staff members or school-designated persons or orga-
nizations in any grade of school, kindergarten 
through 12th grade. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘youth’ means persons under the 
age of 21. 
‘‘(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the 
Congress that: 
‘‘(1) A multi-faceted effort is needed to more 
successfully address the problem of underage drink-
ing in the United States. A coordinated approach to 
prevention, intervention, treatment, enforcement, 
and research is key to making progress. This section 
recognizes the need for a focused national effort, 
and addresses particulars of the Federal portion of 
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that effort, as well as Federal support for State ac-
tivities. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall continue to conduct 
research and collect data on the short- and long- 
range impact of alcohol use and abuse upon adoles-
cent brain development and other organ systems. 
‘‘(3) States and communities, including colleges 
and universities, are encouraged to adopt com-
prehensive prevention approaches, including— 
‘‘(A) evidence-based screening, programs, 
and curricula; 
‘‘(B) brief intervention strategies; 
‘‘(C) consistent policy enforcement; and 
‘‘(D) science-based strategies to reduce un-
derage drinking. 
‘‘(4) Public health groups, consumer groups, 
and the alcohol beverage industry should continue 
and expand evidence-based efforts to prevent and re-
duce underage drinking. 
‘‘(5) The entertainment industries have a pow-
erful impact on youth, and they should use rating 
systems and marketing codes to reduce the likeli-
hood that underage audiences will be exposed to 
movies, recordings, television programs, or other dig-
ital media with unsuitable alcohol content. 
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drinking including a review of the re-
search literature related to State laws, 
regulations, and policies designed to 
prevent and reduce underage drink-
ing, 
as 
described 
in 
paragraph 
(2)(B)(i). 
‘‘(2) ANNUAL
REPORT
ON
STATE
UNDERAGE 
DRINKING PREVENTION AND ENFORCEMENT ACTIVI-
TIES.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, 
with input and collaboration from other appro-
priate Federal agencies, States, Indian tribes, 
territories, and public health, consumer, and al-
cohol beverage industry groups, annually issue 
a report on each State’s performance in enact-
ing, enforcing, and creating laws, regulations, 
and policies to prevent or reduce underage 
drinking based on an assessment of best prac-
tices 
developed 
pursuant 
to 
paragraph 
(1)(F)(ii)(VI) and subparagraph (B)(i). For 
purposes of this paragraph, each such report, 
with respect to a year, shall be referred to as 
the ‘State Report’. Each State Report shall be 
designed as a resource tool for Federal agencies 
assisting States in the States’ underage drink-
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