List Of Major Bills Pending On Final Day Of Ala. Legislature

(AP) -- Some of the bills awaiting action when the Alabama Legislature returns on Monday for its final meeting day:

-remove the state sales tax on groceries, raise the threshold where families start paying the state income tax, and end the state income tax deduction for federal taxes paid.

-make sure Alabamians don't pay state income tax on their federal economic stimulus checks.

-provide a tax break to small businesses and their workers if the businesses provide health insurance to the employees.

-require 44 national corporations to pay more state income tax.

-appropriate $6.3 billion for public schools and universities.

-restrict smoking in many public places and the workplace.

-raise the level of alcohol in beer that can be sold in Alabama to allow more specialty beers.

-allow more towns in dry counties to legalize the sale of liquor.

-restrict the transfer of money between political action committees.

-expand Alabama's hate crimes law to include crimes committed because of a person's sexual orientation.

-require people applying for public assistance to show proof that they are legal residents.

-prohibit state contracts from being issued to companies that hire illegal immigrants.

-prohibit Alabama cities from establishing laws or procedures to protect illegal immigrants.

-set experience requirements for attorneys seeking to become judges.

-require the state Department of Public Safety to do criminal background checks on junior college employees rather than a private security company.