The crystal ball drop on 2023 has come and gone, and so has the deadline for Illinois firearm owners to register their “assault weapons” and attachments.

The implementation of the state’s assault weapon ban has been marked by controversy and confusion. While the sale and purchase of certain firearms were immediately banned when the Governor signed the “Protect Illinois Communities Act” on Jan. 10, 2023, Illinois residents who owned banned assault weapons and/or attachments that were purchased prior to the bill’s signing had until Jan. 1, 2024, to register those items with the Illinois State Police in order to keep them.

According to the Illinois State Police, 29,357 people registered their assault weapons before the state’s Jan. 1 deadline. Information about 68,992 firearms and 42,830 attachments was also submitted to the Illinois State Police. That total is roughly 1 percent of all gun owners within the state.

Meanwhile, several court cases challenging the constitutionality of the ban are ongoing, including two cases docketed with the United States Supreme Court.