On Jan. 14, 2025, Indiana House Republicans outlined their priorities for the 2025 Indiana legislative session, including creating a commission to possibly add several Illinois counties to the state of Indiana. Those counties, now 33 in total, have voted to leave the state of Illinois. The language in the referenda involved the counties splitting off to create a new, 51st state—not joining Indiana. Indiana lawmakers think moving to Indiana would be easier. House Bill 1008 would create a commission to decide if redrawing the Indiana-Illinois border to bring those counties into Indiana is a good idea. But why do those counties want to leave Illinois? What would it take to bring them to the Hoosier State? And what would it cost Indiana? MORE: https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/indiana/could-indiana-actually-take-counties-from-illinois-todd-huston-j-b-pritzker-hb-1008-lawmakers-legislature-debt-secession-new-chicago/531-6eb9ec78-ce2e-42b2-bd66-9079e08e7bba