217 Today: After Illinois banned assault weapons, rural gun owners registered very few of them

In this 2013 file photo, John Jackson, co-owner of Capitol City Arms Supply, shows off an AR-15 assault rifle for sale at his business in Springfield, Ill. Under a new state law, such weapons are banned unless their owners register the weapons with the Illinois State Police. A WBEZ analysis shows that the lowest registration rates are found in rural downstate counties. Seth Perlman / Associated Press
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
Today's headlines:
- University of Illinois freshman Akul Dhawan died from hypothermia. That's the official cause of death, released by Champaign County Coroner Stephen Thuney.
- Former President Donald Trump endorsed incumbent U.S. Representative Mike Bost.
- White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf met with Illinois legislative leaders– in person – to request public financing for a new stadium.
In today's deep dive, we'll learn more about a new Illinois law that allowed gun owners to keep assault-style weapons if they disclosed them by January first — and take a look at the registration rates across the state.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Emily Hays, Will Bauer, Alex Degman, Mawa Iqbal and Amy Qin.