SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals issued a ruling Friday afternoon upholding the state’s assault weapons ban. In the 2-1 ruling, the court found the state’s controversial law does not violate the Second Amendment.

“Using the tools of history and tradition to which the Supreme Court directed us in Heller and Bruen, we conclude that the state and the affected subdivisions have a strong likelihood of success in the pending litigation,” the ruling reads.

Judge Michael Brennan dissented from the other two circuit judges.

“Because the banned firearms and magazines warrant constitutional protection, and the government parties have failed to meet their burden to show that their bans are part of the history and tradition of firearms regulation, preliminary injunctions are justified against enforcement of the challenged laws,” Brennan said.

Earlier this year, the Illinois General Assembly alongside Governor J.B. Pritzker passed the Protect Illinois Communities Act, which bans the sale and delivery of assault weapons across the state. Almost immediately, gun rights advocates challenged the law in court.

Governor J.B. Pritzker called the ruling a victory and urged Congress to strengthen laws regulating assault weapons nationwide.

“Despite constant attacks by the gun lobby that puts ideology over people’s lives, here in Illinois we have stood up and said ‘no more’ to weapons of war on our streets,” Pritzker said. “This is a victory for the members of the General Assembly who stood alongside families, students and survivors who worked so hard to make this day a reality.”

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said he is pleased with the court’s decision.

“Assault weapons were intended for military use, and the Protect Illinois Communities Act is a tool to prevent them from being used to cause devastation in our schools, places of worship and recreation spaces,” Raoul wrote. “This decision is the result of many hours of work by the staff of the Attorney General’s office, and I thank them for their dedication and service to the people of Illinois.”