Some Indiana lawmakers have taken steps to absorb the Illinois counties that have voted to leave the state. Last election, seven Illinois counties joined more than 20 others to greenlight a proposal to explore splitting from the state.

Legislation is being considered by state lawmakers that would redraw the state boundaries of Indiana to include a handful of counties in Illinois that are considering secession from the state. In the last year 33 counties in Illinois have held referenda in which residents in these counties approved plans to look into the possibility of seceding from Illinois and forming a new state.

Indiana's legislature upped a long-standing rivalry with Illinois by introducing a bill to steal disgruntled counties. Why it matters: Indiana Republicans are seizing on the discord between Cook County and the state's rural counties,

Indiana Speaker of the House Todd Huston wants to start a dialogue with his neighboring state. On Tuesday, the Speaker announced he wants to create the Indiana-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Commission,

Starting in 2020, non-binding referendums to secede from Illinois and create a new state have passed in 33 counties. Now, a high-ranking Republican in Indiana wants those counties to join Indiana instead of making a 51st state.

A bill introduced in the Indiana legislature by its Republican House speaker would create a commission to embrace 33 Illinois counties that have voted for a symbolic measure to leave Illinois and create a new state.