A bill to redraw the Indiana-Illinois border received initial approval Monday in an Indiana House committee, but some Illinois supporters prefer to establish a new state.

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.

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.

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.

House Speaker Todd Huston's priority bill to launch a commission discussing redrawing the state boundary earned Democratic support Monday.

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.

House Bill 1008 from Republican House Speaker Todd Huston would create a commission to study how 33 Illinois counties could join Indiana.