A new firearms law – approved by the Alabama Legislature nearly three months ago – will go into effect Thursday. The legislation affects concealed- and open-carry rules, permit issuance, when and where owners may have their guns with them and more.

One impact of the law will be that an employer can no longer bar an employee from having a loaded gun on the employer’s property – if the firearm remains out of sight and locked in the employee’s vehicle. A concealed-carry permit will still be required to carry a loaded pistol in a vehicle, but not an unloaded one that is locked in a compartment unreachable by the driver and any passengers.