State Rep. Jack Jordan (R-Bremen) says legislation he co-authored to look at adjusting Indiana's border to welcome Illinois counties that have voted to secede from their state has passed the House of Representatives.
House Bill 1008 would establish the Indiana-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Commission to explore advantages of redrawing state lines. Since 2020, 33 Illinois counties have voted to secede from their state, including seven in the most recent November election.
Since the pandemic, 100,000 Illinois residents have chosen to leave Illinois and come to Indiana. According to multiple studies, high taxes were the number one reason why Illinois residents fled the state.
Indiana is consistently ranked among the best states for low taxes, business climate, economic opportunity and affordability. Since the pandemic, Indiana's GDP has grown by 9.3 percent, more than any other Midwest state and three and a half times the rate of Illinois.
"If Illinois residents and counties are looking for something different, we're simply raising our hands and saying you'd be welcome in Indiana," Jordan said.
For the commission to move forward, Illinois would need to pass a similar bill. House Bill 1500, authored by Rep. Brad Halbrook, has been filed in the Illinois General Assembly.
HB 1008 will now be considered by the Senate.
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