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.

Richard Moore should count CNBC as an in-kind contributor.

The state treasurer and Democratic gubernatorial candidate has been a frequent guest on the financial news network in the last few years.

The most recent spot was on a "Power Lunch" tour of Charlotte Friday, where he was identified as a "shareholders' crusader."

"You've seen him on CNBC before, of course," said co-host Sue Herera.

That's an understatement. 

Moore served as guest host of the network's "Squawk Box" show on Nov. 24, 2003; June 17, 2005; and March 20, 2006.

And CNBC once sent a satellite truck to Roanoke Rapids, where Moore was attending a Democratic oyster roast, so that he could be interviewed about a dispute with Walt Disney Co.'s board.