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

David McLennan says there aren't enough women in the pipeline.

A professor of political science at Peace College in Raleigh, McLennan has studied women running for office in North Carolina for years.

He says women have done well in races for school board, local and legislative races in urban areas, judicial positions and statewide executive offices. They haven't done well in law enforcement positions and local and legislative races in rural areas.

The problems end up dragging down overall balance, however. While 54 percent of registered voters are women, only 16 percent of the candidates on the November ballot were women, he said. 

A lack of women in lower level races also means a smaller pool for more important posts. With fewer women on rural town councils, there are fewer candidates for rural legislative seats; and fewer female district attorneys and sheriffs may be one reason no woman has run for attorney general.

Even in statewide executive races, McLennan said women's successes have been due to their support in the growing metropolitan areas.

"People in urban areas are more used to seeing women in positions of power," he said. "As the power in the state shifts to the metropolitan areas, we're going to see more women do well as a result."

Still, the lag in rural areas means it may take longer to see a gender balance in the legislature.  

Nineteen North Carolina sheriffs are backing John McCain.

The sheriffs of some of the largest counties — including Wake, Forsyth, Guilford and Johnston counties — are co-chairs and vice chairs of the N.C. Sheriffs for McCain group.

Retired Randolph County Sheriff Litchard Hurley, who heard McCain speak at the National Sheriffs Association meeting in Indianapolis today, said he was impressed by McCain's stance on crime and illegal immigration.  

"He pledged that he would do everything he could to keep people from coming to the United States to break the law," he said.

Hurley and sheriffs B.J. Barnes of Guilford County and Steve Bizzell of Johnston are co-chairmen of the group. Vice chairs include Donnie Harrison of Wake and Bill Schatzman of Forsyth.

The complete list after the jump.

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U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, who is seeking re-election, has a new tv ad talking about her efforts to help North Carolina sheriffs battle illegal immigration, reports Rob Christensen.

What the ad says: Dole: “I’m Elizabeth Dole, and I approved this message.”

Johnston County Sheriff Steve Bizzell: “The politicians talk and talk about illegal immigration, but Senator Dole actually did something about it.”

Henderson County Sheriff Rick Davis: “She wanted to meet with sheriffs — and she did.”

Rowan County Sheriff George A. Wilhelm: “Went all over North Carolina.”

Unidentified voices: “Raeford, Greensboro, Hendersonville, Lexington, Mocksville, Salisbury.”

Davidson County Sheriff David Grice: “Most of us didn’t have the tools to identify and apprehend the illegal immigrants who were repeatedly committing crimes … ”

Davie County Sheriff Andy Stokes: “ ... the ones who are tough, hardened criminals.”

Lee County Sheriff Tracy Carter: “So, Senator Dole works out a solution ... ”

Rockingham Sheriff Samuel Page: “... a statewide partnership between federal officials and North Carolina’s sheriffs ... ”

Guilford County Sheriff B.J. Barnes: “... to give us access to the federal tools to identify, apprehend ... ”

Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson: “ ... and deport these repeat criminals.”

Randolph County Sheriff Maynard Reid Jr: “It’s the first statewide program like this.”

Hoke County Sheriff Hubert A. Peterkin: “She is one tough lady ... ”

Unidentified voice: “ ... with major-league clout.”

Carteret County Sheriff Asa Buck: “I’m sure glad she’s from North Carolina.”

The background: In October, Dole announced a partnership between North Carolina sheriffs and Immigration and Customs Enforcement to train participating sheriff’s offices to allow them to check the immigration status of criminal suspects and to hold suspects here illegally for deportation proceedings.

Four of North Carolina’s 100 sheriff’s offices — in Alamance, Cabarrus, Gaston and Mecklenburg counties — and the Durham Police Department have signed up for what is known as the (287g) program, according to ICE.

Several other counties, including Wake, have applied for the program. Participation is limited to larger counties because they have the jail space, said Johnston County Sheriff Steve Bizzell, president of the statewide sheriffs association.

The oldest program in the state is sponsored by the sheriff’s office in the Mecklenburg County. There, federal officials have begun deportation proceedings against 4,333 people who are in the U.S. illegally — about 90 percent of whom had been arrested for misdemeanors.

There are 47 (287g) programs with local law enforcement around the country, with Arizona and Virginia having more programs than North Carolina.

What makes North Carolina’s effort the first of its kind is that the statewide sheriffs association has formed a partnership with federal immigration authorities. In other states, the agreements have been with individual departments.

Is the ad accurate? Yes. But, considering the numbers for Mecklenburg County showing that it has overwhelmingly dealt with people arrested for misdemeanors, it’s not clear that the program is dealing with “tough, hardened criminals.”

Walter Dalton, a Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, says he has received endorsements from 53 Democratic sheriffs in North Carolina.

Dalton, a state senator from Rutherfordton, announced the endorsements today in Buncombe County.

“I am extremely honored to have the support of sheriffs across North Carolina,” Dalton said in a statement. “As a Senator, I have always fought to make sure our law enforcement officers have all the tools they need to keep our communities safe."

The House tentatively approved a bill that would let sheriffs know when a pistol permit application had been turned down in another county.

The legislation stems from a Guilford County case in which a man who was denied for mental problems went across the county line, bought a gun and killed himself.

Sheriffs would still set their own guidelines for pistol permits. A denial in one county would not necessarily mean a second denial in another.

But Rep. Joe Kiser, a Lincoln County Republican and former sheriff, said it would give sheriffs more information. (N&O)

"This would be a red flag to the other sheriffs in the state," said Rep. Ronnie Sutton, a Robeson Democrat who sponsored the bill. (AP)

Rep. Verla Insko, a Chapel Hill Democrat, is a co-sponsor.