Indiana House Republicans want to redraw state boundaries INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indiana’s highest ranking state representative unveiled a plan to redraw Indiana’s boundaries, taking in Illinois counties interested in seceding from their state. The priority legislation package House Republicans revealed Jan. 14 includes a bill to set up a bi-state commission on redrawing Indiana’s boundaries. House Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers, will sponsor the legislation. It is extremely rare for the Speaker of the House to personally author a bill. To date, voters in 33 of Illinois’ 102 counties have approved ballot measures to explore splitting off from Cook County, home to Chicago. The counties involved are all heavily Republican counties in downstate Illinois. Republicans have not controlled either chamber of the Illinois General Assembly since the early 2000s and, with the exception of Bruce Rauner’s single term from 2015-2019, have not held the governor’s chair since George Ryan left office in 2003. “Instead of seceding and creating a 51st state, they should just join us, where we match their priorities, their interests, and we’re excited about having that conversation this year,” Huston said. Any attempt to redraw Indiana’s boundaries would be a tall order. Huston’s bill would set up a 10-member commission, with five each from Illinois and Indiana. If the commission recommends any changes to Indiana’s boundaries, both the Illinois and Indiana General Assemblies would have to approve them, along with Congress. Huston said given the number of counties that have expressed interest in secession, he thinks the Illinois General Assembly might have some interest in the boundary commission. Public comments by Illinois officials so far suggest otherwise. In an October 2023 advisory opinion, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, a Democrat, wrote that Illinois’ constitution and its laws allow for changes to the boundaries of counties within the state, but not secession from the state. “Nothing in article VII, section 2(a), addresses the concept of county secession from the State or directs the General Assembly to provide a statutory procedure for the secession of counties from the State. Further, unlike other changes to the configuration of county boundaries contemplated by article VII, section 2(a), that occur wholly within the State’s borders, secession would remove territory from the State’s possession and control and affect the entire State’s border. Although article VII, section 2(a), uses the general term ‘counties’ rather than ‘Illinois counties,’ the provision must be interpreted as applying exclusively to counties within the State. To interpret section 2(a) as directing the General Assembly to enact laws governing the formation of counties in another state would be illogical and lead to absurd results.”Kwame Raoul(D) Illinois Attorney General The state boundary issue is not limited to Indiana. Voters in blue-state conservative counties elsewhere have proposed breaking away to join another state or form their own. Notable examples include the Greater Idaho Movement, which advocates splitting counties in eastern Oregon away from that state and transferring them to Idaho’s jurisdiction, and a proposal to split San Bernardino County off from California into its own state. Those efforts, to date, have met with no success. Prof. Paul Helmke, of the IU O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, said it is extremely unlikely the Democratic-controlled Illinois General Assembly would ever agree, even if the currently Republican-controlled Congress goes along. Even if it were to happen, he said lawmakers from both states would have to address numerous issues ranging from differences in tax structures to the flow of money from the Chicago area to the rest of the state. “Indiana would have to consider if we’re picking up someone that’s going to contribute to our economy, or is this going to be a drag on our economy. Illinois could be asking the same thing,” Helmke said. “So there’s a lot of tax and economic implications as well as political implications, and I don’t think anyone’s even come close to studying exactly how that would work, mainly because this is not going to happen.” Helmke said he considers the bill more performative and symbolic than anything. Huston insisted his bill is not a political stunt. “We think, look, it’s serious because these people have already decided. They’ve gone on the record. They’ve actually taken votes, seven just in November alone, seven counties just in November alone, saying they want to secede. They don’t need to secede, they just need to join us,” Huston said. The Indiana Democratic Party attacked the move in a statement on social media Tuesday afternoon. “Instead of passing universal pre-K or ending waiting lists for healthcare, Indiana Republicans want to meddle in the internal affairs of our neighbors. This legislative session should be about Hoosiers — not political games.”Indiana Democratic Party