(Statehouse) – Legislation is being considered by state lawmakers that would redraw the state boundaries of Indiana to include a handful of counties in Illinois that are considering secession from the state.
In the last year 33 counties in Illinois have held referenda in which residents in these counties approved plans to look into the possibility of seceding from Illinois and forming a new state. However, Indiana lawmakers are urging them to pump the brakes and consider simply joining Indiana.
“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,” Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston said.
The counties considering leaving Illinois include a cluster of 21 counties in southern Illinois that include cities like Paris, Flora, and Edwardsville. These counties are conservative voting counties for the the most part. There are also four counties on the southernmost tip of Illinois for Indiana to consider.
The issue requires more than just the approval of the state legislature for these counties to join Indiana. It would also need the approval of the Illinois legislature, not to mention the approval of Congress.
Even with that in mind, Huston said the question is worth pursuing.
“It’s serious because these people have already decided. They’ve gone on the record,” he said. “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.”
The Attorney General of Illinois, Kwame Raoul (D), says the counties considering secession have no legal standing for it.
“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,” Raoul said. “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.”
Indiana Democrats have weighed in on the issue as well.
“Instead of passing universal pre-K or ending waiting lists for healthcare, Indiana Republicans want to meddle in the internal affairs of our neighbors,” the party said in a statement. “This legislative session should be about Hoosiers — not political games.”
This is not the only question of county secession throughout the US. There is a similar situation unfolding between Oregon and Idaho, in which a handful of conservative voting counties in Oregon want to leave the state and join Idaho.
(Story by Network Indiana)
