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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowHouse Republicans are pursuing legislation that would allow the state to absorb disgruntled Illinois counties, shifting the Indiana-Illinois border, the caucus unveiled in a Tuesday morning news conference.
Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers, filed House Bill 1008 to create a boundary adjustment commission that would study whether to recommend absorption of Illinois counties that want to secede from the Democrat-led state. The board would include five Hoosier members appointed by the governor and five from Illinois to discuss the possibility of shifting the border, according to the bill.
Last election, seven Illinois counties joined at least 20 others to greenlight a proposal to explore splitting from the state. Some counties border Indiana, but others, like Madison County, which borders Missouri, don’t. Huston said they are considering both bordering and inland counties.
“We think instead of seceding and creating a 51st state, they should just join us,” Huston said. “We match their priorities, their interests, and we’re excited about having that conversation this year.”
Illinois counties do not have the power to secede, and such a move would require approval from the Illinois General Assembly and U.S. Congress.
When asked if the bill was serious, Huston said the bill was not trying to stir trouble but address the concerns of Illinois residents.
Besides Huston’s bill, Republican leaders say a balanced budget continues to be a top priority. Rising Medicaid prices and slowing revenue have tightened the budget drafting process.
Ways and Means Committee Chair Rep. Jeff Thompson, R-Lizton, said the caucus’ priorities would be funded, despite revenue challenges. That bill, introduced as House Bill 1001, will be filed later this session closer to the halfway point.
House Republicans filed a slew of bills on trademark issues, such as education reform, health care costs, utilities and energy, public safety and housing. Huston said they are relying on the Senate to lead on property tax reform. Senate Republicans named property tax reform, Medicaid adjustments and water withdrawals among their top priorities last week.
To combat new industries using more energy, Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, has filed House Bill 1007 to grow the state’s nuclear capacity through small modular reactors, or SMRs. These energy generators are prefabricated plants that are a fraction of the size of a traditional nuclear power plant.
This bill would expedite the process of expanding and building energy sources, said Soliday, who is the chair of the Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications Committee.
“Indiana’s economy is booming, but most of these new businesses need more electricity,” Soliday said. “We need new and innovative systems.”
Reps. Brad Barrett, R-Richmond, and Martin Carbaugh, R-Fort Wayne, are each filing bills to reduce health care costs—which is also a major policy priority for Gov. Mike Braun.
Public Health Committee Chair Barrett’s House Bill 1003 seeks to install measures to increase price transparency and the amount of information Hoosiers have about their treatment. Insurance Committee Chair Carbaugh’s House Bill 1004 would more closely police nonprofit hospitals and what they charge for services.
House Education Committee Chair Rep. Bob Behning, R-Indianapolis, said his priority bill, House Bill 1002, would edit or remove at least 70 provisions, requirements and policies for K-12 schools. Behning said the bill would reduce regulatory burdens and install more flexibility. Some regulations he recommends cutting are expired, he said, including requirements to provide 21st Century Scholars enrollment forms to certain students, a career coaching pilot program and virtual course retakes.
House Bill 1005, authored by Rep. Doug Miller, R-Elkhart, would expand the state’s Residential Housing Infrastructure Assistance Program by $25 million to provide housing infrastructure loans. Miller is the Government and Regulatory Reform Committee chair.
Judiciary Committee Chair Rep. Chris Jeter, R-Fishers, also filed House Bill 1006, which would establish a new fund for prosecutors.
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