A bill aimed at redrawing the Indiana-Illinois border passed out of the Indiana House Thursday with the Speaker of the House suggesting that other Midwestern states join Indiana.

Indiana House legislators gave initial approval to a bill aimed at redrawing the Indiana-Illinois border Wednesday, but the bill continues to open up a Pandora’s box of amendments — from marijuana legalization to allowing Indiana counties to secede.

House Bill 1008, authored by Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers, has been panned by Illinois leaders as a stunt. On the House floor before the vote, Huston once again emphasized Indiana’s tax rates and rattled off economic statistics and framed his measure as a way to highlight the state’s progress.

An Indiana House committee has approved House Bill 1008, sponsored by Speaker Todd Huston, to establish an Indiana-Illinois boundary adjustment commission, which would be tasked with researching the possibility of redrawing the states' boundaries.

The Indiana House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday that would study the possibility of adopting 33 Illinois counties that have expressed their desire to secede. The bill, HB1008 or the “Indiana-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Commission,

Republican House Speaker Todd Huston’s proposal would create an Indiana-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Commission tasked with exploring the secession and transfer of counties that have already voted to leave the state of Illinois.

Indiana lawmakers debate immigration bill

House Republicans approved a bill Thursday to enhance Indiana’s role in enforcing federal immigration law. Rep. J.D. Prescott’s (R-Union City) bill would give the attorney general’s office more authority to investigate businesses that might be employing undocumented immigrants — and creates penalties for those that do.