The Ways and Means Committee has neither ways nor means. Discuss.

As noted elsewhere, the state Senate committee's work belies its brash-sounding title, as it hasn't met since 2001.

That makes it a convenient place for Senate leader Marc Basnight to send bills to die.

Below, the bills sent there so far and what they would (have) do(ne):

S.B. 87: Taxpayers Protection Act: Put constitutional limits on state spending up for a referendum.

S.B. 108: Management of the Striped Bass Fishery: Authorize the Marine Fisheries Commission to create a tradeable quota on striped bass.

S.B. 118 and 119: Four-Year Terms: Lengthen state legislators' terms from two to four years.

S.B. 156: Session Limits: Limit legislature to 90 days in odd-numbered years, 45 in even-numbered.

S.B. 272: Defense of Marriage: Put a ban on gay marriage to the state constitution up for a referendum.

S.B. 329: Right to Hunt: Put a "right to hunt" amendment to the state constitution up for a referendum.

S.B. 351: No Felon as Sheriff: Put a constitutional ban on felons serving as sheriffs up for a referendum.

None of the bills are officially dead until crossover week, however. The committee is chaired by Sen. Charlie Dannelly, one of Basnight's top lieutenants, so a bill could conceivably be resurrected if he changed his mind. 

A bill would amend the constitution to bar felons from serving as sheriff.

Sen. Stan Bingham, a Davidson County Republican, said he filed the bill after hearing from sheriffs in his district.

"A sheriff cannot hire someone as a deputy — especially that carries a firearm — who is a felon, but he can be one," he said.

The amendment would forbid any sheriff who had been found guilty of a felony in North Carolina or another state, regardless of whether they had their voting rights restored.

It would be on the November 2010 ballot.

The former sheriff of Buncombe County was found guilty of accepting more than $300,000 in bribes from video poker operators last year.

The bill has 23 sponsors, almost a majority of the 50-member Senate.

Correction: An earlier version of this post misstated Bingham's party. 

Some recent Senate bills of note:

S.B. 351: No Felon as Sheriff, Sen. Stan Bingham

S.B. 353: N.C. Human Trafficking Commission, Sen. Ellie Kinnaird

S.B. 362: Retired Teachers Return to Work, Sen. A.B. Swindell