Illinois’ assault weapons ban will remain in place, at least until a federal appeals court hears full arguments challenging a lower court ruling that found the law unconstitutional.

A ruling Thursday by the federal appeals court in Chicago allows the law to remain in place while the legal controversy it’s generated continues to work its way through the courts.

The ruling from a 7th Circuit appellate panel stayed last month's ruling declaring the statewide gun and ammo ban to be unconstitutional.

Multiple federal courts have issued contradictory rulings on Illinois' assault weapon and extended ammo magazine bans since state lawmakers enacted the bans in January 2023.

A federal appeals court panel in Chicago ruled Thursday that Illinois’ sweeping ban on high-powered guns and high-capacity ammunition magazines can stay in place while the state contests a ruling from a downstate judge who found the law unconstitutional.

"The definition is so broad, and covers things that have no bearing on the mechanical function of firearms or the ballistic performance of ammunition, so a lot of the criteria that the State of Illinois uses to define something as an assault weapon strains logic," Serritella said.

Illinois’ ban on the sale of assault weapons will remain in place until a federal court weighs in. The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has stayed the injunction until they rule on the constitutionality of the law,

Illinois’ ban on certain semiautomatic weapons will remain in place, at least until a federal appeals court hears full arguments challenging a lower court ruling that found the law unconstitutional.

Circuit blocks, for now, lower court’s order that held the law unconstitutional By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Illinois’ assault weapons ban will remain in place,

At issue was a Hawaii Supreme Court decision that allowed the state to prosecute a man carrying a loaded pistol without a license.