Bill targeting ‘coal roalling’ fails in Idaho Senate

BOISE - Bipartisan legislation died in the Idaho Senate on Monday to ban “coal rolling,” a process through which a diesel vehicle operator purposely modifies the vehicle in order to release big quantities of soot, smoke or other pollution into the air around someone they want to annoy.

The bill was sponsored by sponsored by Senate Transportation Chairman Bert Brackett, R-Rogerson, and Minority Leader Michelle Stennett, D-Ketchum, but it failed on a narrow 16-18 vote.

The practice is touted in a reality TV show and several states have sought to ban it, according to a 2016 New York Times article.

But Sen. Dan Foreman, R-Moscow, argued that Idaho’s current law already is sufficient to go after the practice. Foreman, a former highway patroller, said, “I don’t deny that this is a safety hazard; I’ve been there, I’ve enforced it.” The bill would have imposed infraction or misdemeanor penalties for violations.