The Indiana-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Commission got one step closer to becoming law on Tuesday, April 15 following a Senate vote. Photo by Getty Images.

By Whitney Downard
Indiana Capital Chronicle

INDIANAPOLIS — A movement to invite counties from Illinois trying to secede from their state passed the Senate on Tuesday, April 15, with the Indiana-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Commission getting a nod from 36 senators.

Three Republicans joined all 10 Democrats to oppose the move, debating the motion for just over 30 minutes.

“We all have our own opinions of how good things are here in Indiana, but folks from outside Indiana are eyeballing us,” said sponsor Sen. Scott Baldwin, R-Noblesville. “… we’re just signaling to those Illinois counties that Indiana is open for business and we’d be happy to accept them.”

Thirty-three counties have passed an “advisory referenda” signaling their desire to leave Illinois, with seven voting in the most recent November election. In a February committee meeting, some residents said they didn’t feel represented by the state and, specifically, Chicago.

The boundary commission would likely be a “generational conversation,” Baldwin acknowledged, and specifics like the impact on the state’s Medicaid rolls or child care shortage were yet to be ironed out.

Sen. Fady Qaddoura also noted that some Indiana counties might be interested in leaving the state to join neighbors like Illinois, Michigan or Ohio, all of which have legalized marijuana for recreational use.

“Believe it or not, many of our constituents think this is a joke. They seriously think the General Assembly has more important policies to deal with, rather than sending political signals,” said Qaddoura, D-Indianapolis. “I’m proud of Indiana. I’m proud to be a resident of Indiana. I’m a proud legislator … I want my focus to continue to be that, not sending political messages to other states.”

Qaddoura’s colleague, Sen. Shelli Yoder of Bloomington, went even further and called the proposal “a political stunt.” She noted that Indiana doesn’t allow for citizens to approach law-making through a referendum — which is what Illinois residents used in their succession vote.

A seemingly exasperated Sen. Aaron Freeman emphasized that the bill would just approve a commission, not a final boundary agreement.

“If the fine people of eastern Illinois want to come here? Great,” said the Indianapolis Republican. “But don’t come up here and talk to me about things that have nothing to do with this bill for political purposes.”

Previously, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, said such a move was “not going to happen.”

Due to committee amendments concerning commission membership, the House needs to accept the changes before the bill can become law.