The Indiana Senate has approved a bill to establish the ‘Indiana-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Commission,’ which will examine the possibility of bringing 33 rural Illinois counties into Indiana. Many of these counties, including Wayne, Marion, Clinton, Fayette, Jefferson and Clay have voted overwhelmingly in advisory polls to secede from Illinois to escape Chicago’s political influence.
The bill now heads to Indiana Governor Mike Braun for signing. However, prospects for actual annexation are uncertain, as the commission requires Illinois representation, and any formal move would need approval from both Illinois and Indiana governors, along with federal congressional approval.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker dismissed the proposal as a stunt, emphasizing it’s unlikely to happen. Critics in Indiana see it as a symbolic gesture, but some lawmakers, like State Senator Scott Baldwin, see it as Indiana signaling openness to these counties.
The initiative reflects ongoing tensions in the region, but experts say real progress would require complex legal and political steps.
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