Monday marks the transition to 2024, and a number of state laws went into effect this week.

Several bills signed into law during the 2023 legislative session had their implementation delayed to accommodate the calendar change.

Some of the most important changes are listed below.

The state will no longer tax overtime income.

Working overtime not only allows employees to earn additional hourly income, but their wages are not subject to income tax.

The bill, authored by House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville), would prohibit overtime pay from being considered gross income.

“This is something that affects all workers, whether you're Democrat or Republican, white or black, conservative or liberal,” Daniels said. “This will put extra money into the pockets of the men and women in this state who need it most, and it won’t cost our state’s businesses a dime.”

The bill received bipartisan support in Congress, with the exception of Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur), who said the suspension would result in a $45 million loss to the Education Trust Fund. Daniels argues that savings boost the economy and ultimately generate other forms of tax revenue.

“This will generate more tax money for people to spend this money on things they need,” Daniels said at the time. “This is not money that goes into a savings account. This is money that puts food on the table, helps pay for beach vacations, and puts gas in people's tanks.”

Law enforcement begins training to assist people with sensory needs

The Noah Cade Act by Rep. Lee Halsey (D-Helena) goes into effect, requiring Alabama law enforcement officers to receive training on how to work with people with “invisible disabilities.” Obliged.

The bill is named in part after Halsey's son, Noah, who is on the autism spectrum.

The bill would require law enforcement officers to receive one hour of continuing education every two years on how to interact with individuals with sensory and non-visible disabilities. The class will be administered by the Alabama Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission, and the class will be offered free of charge by a nonprofit organization that specializes in such training.

Alabama adoption regulations to be overhauled

The state Legislature voted to uphold new language that representatives say will completely replace the state's existing adoption rules and help streamline the process.

The Code is a thick 80-page document, but highlights of the improvements include freeing up communication between the various courts involved in the adoption process, clarifying the application process, and increasing confidentiality.