The Senate approved a bill that would ban the sale of most novelty lighters.

Sen. Austin Allran, a Hickory Republican and sponsor of the bill, brought a box of the lighters to show his Senate colleages why children would be drawn to the fire.

He brandished a lighter that resembles the Disney character "Nemo." The flame comes out of the fish's mouth when you depress the back fin.

"They're very entertaining but they're also very dangerous," Allran said.

Allran also displayed lighters that looked like a deck of cards, an astronaut, a fishing rod, a cell phone and a miniature shotgun. All were made in China and none comply with child safety standards.

In 2006, a North Carolina child suffered second degree burns while playing with a lighter that looked like a cell phone, Allran said.

Sen. David Hoyle, a Gastonia Democrat, said that the bill would leave convenience stores stuck with boxes of lighters they could no longer sell. Ultimately, he said, parents need to be responsible for keeping lighters away from children.

"Somewhere along the way, somebody's got to take some personal responsibility," Hoyle said.

The bill easily passed the Senate Thursday and next moves to the House.

After the Senate adjourned, one of Dome's press corps colleagues nearly burned herself on the astronaut lighter.

Recent Senate bills of note:

S.B. 461: North Carolina Racial Justice Act, Sen. Floyd McKissick

S.B. 478: Modify School Calendar Law, Sen. Don East

S.B. 491: Expunge Nonviolent Crimes, Sen. Ellie Kinnaird

S.B. 500: Raise Homestead Exclusion Income Limit, Sen. Austin Allran

S.B. 515: Prohibit Penning of Wildlife, Sen. Neal Hunt

S.B. 520: NC to Consider Off Shore Drilling, Sen. James Forrester

S.B. 525: Video Game Producer Tax Credit, Sen. Julia Boseman

More recent Senate bills of note:

S.B. 439: Tax on Lottery Winnings, Sen. Eddie Goodall

S.B. 440: Establish Gestational Surrogacy Agreements, Sen. Tony Rand

S.B. 451: Strengthen Driver Education, Sen. Austin Allran

S.B. 456: Expand Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday, Sen. John Snow

Recent Senate bills of note:

S.B. 329: Right to Hunt, Sen. David Hoyle

S.B. 334: Department of Transportation Reforms, Sen. Phil Berger

S.B. 335: Transparency in Recommendations, Sen. Berger

S.B. 337: N.C. Illegal Immigration Reform Act, Sen. Austin Allran

S.B. 342: Study Grandparents' Visitation Rights, Sen. Steve Goss

"Which Republicans voted for the Democratic leadership in the legislature?" — Caller

Members of the state House of Representatives and Senate select their own leaders on the first day of session.

The majority, which is Democratic in both chambers this year, typically votes for one of its own, while the Republican minority puts forward its own candidate.

Still, legislators can cross over to vote for the other side.

This year, Republican Sens. Fletcher Hartsell of Concord and Richard Stevens of Cary both voted for Democratic Sen. Marc Basnight as president pro tem on the first roll call.

Before the votes were totaled, however, Republican Minority Leader Phil Berger, who was also running, moved to elect Basnight by acclamation — essentially a unanimous voice vote.

This next part is a little tricky. In order to prevent anyone from calling another vote in the future and toppling Basnight, his chief lieutenant, Sen. Tony Rand, asked for yet another vote, known as a "clincher."

Twelve of the 20 Senate Republicans voted for Basnight on that vote: Sens. Austin Allran, Stan Bingham, Harris Blake, Debbie Clary, Don East, James Forrester, Hartsell, Neal Hunt, David Rouzer, Bob Rucho, Stevens, and Jerry Tillman.

In the House no Republicans voted for Speaker Joe Hackney, a Democrat. House Republicans voted for the minority leader, Rep. Paul Stam.

Sen. Austin Allran
Hickory Republican
Twelfth Term

What two things would you cut in the state budget? "There are appropriations to nonprofits that could be eliminated, no question about it. We have a about $1 billion that are spent on nonprofits yearly. Some of those are wonderful, some of them are questionable and some should not be made."

He said the University of North Carolina system could cut spending on fountains, landscaping and let the alumni pick up the cost.

Are there any taxes you would be in favor of increasing? He said it would be very difficult to raise taxes. "We are not just in a recession. We have to be honest and admit we are in the worst situation since the Depression."

— Rob Christensen 

* Catawba County Board of Commissioners Chair Kitty Barnes will challenge state Sen. Austin Allran in the May Republican primary. (Hickory Daily Record)

* Gov. Mike Easley and First Lady Mary Easley will hang wreaths and light the state Christmas tree as part of an annual tradition tonight at 6:15. (AC-T)

* Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Mike Munger supports allowing illegal immigrants to study at state community colleges; calls alternative "apartheid." (AP)

* John Edwards says he's more seasoned and more passionate, which is why his current presidential campaign is more confrontational than in 2004. (AP)

If you've made Sen. Austin Allran mad lately, you might want to put new batteries in your smoke detector — just to be safe.

The Hickory Republican asked this afternoon if legislators could still burn down a house without losing their pensions.

The Senate was debating a bill that would cause public officials to forfeit some retirement benefits if they are convicted of public corruption or election fraud charges.

Allran asked the sponsor, Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand, a question: "A while back, a couple decades ago, a House member burned down the tobacco warehouse of a Senate member," he said. Would that be covered?

"I don't believe that would, because that was just arson," Rand replied, deadpan.

Allran then replied, equally deadpan, "That makes me feel better."

Bonus Trivia: The first reader to correctly identify one of the two legislators in that arson case will receive a copy of "Ant Farm" by Simon Rich. Post your answer below or e-mail dome@newsobserver.com.