Could Iowa take over Illinois counties? Lawmaker’s bill makes the case

An Iowa Republican lawmaker wants to pursue a study on absorbing counties in Illinois, where a secessionist movement has grown fueled by divisions over the Prairie State’s policy direction.

A proposal from Rep. Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis, House File 2141, would establish an “Iowa-Illinois boundary adjustment committee” to consider whether to move the dividing line between the two states by transferring one or more Illinois counties along the Iowa border to the Hawkeye State.

Collins said the bill would primarily look at all counties that along the Mississippi River.

“As somebody that represents really a district that’s right along the border and along the Mississippi River, I know many folks on both sides of the river, and I know there’s a lot of folks in the high-tax state of Illinois that’s now basically supporting career criminals,” Collins said. “They would love to be Iowa residents, and many of them have taken the steps to actually move to the state of Iowa.”

If advanced, Iowa would follow in the footsteps of Indiana, where Gov. Mike Braun in 2025 signed a law creating a commission to explore the possibility of annexing parts of Illinois. That passed after more than 30 Illinois counties voted on nonbinding referendums to secede from the Democratic-led state of Illinois over differences in policy and political ideology with Chicago.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat eyeing a run for the White House in 2028, had called Indiana’s legislation a “stunt.”

“I’ll just say Indiana is a low-wage state that doesn’t protect workers, a state that does not provide health care for people when they’re in need, and so I don’t think it’s attractive for anybody in Illinois where wages are higher where the standard of living is higher, and we do provide health care for people in need,” he said.

This is not the first Iowa proposal looking to take a neighboring state’s counties.

Sen. Mike Bousselot, R-Ankeny, introduced a bill in 2025 proposing to enter into negotiations with Iowa’s northern neighbor and allow Iowa to buy nine southern Minnesota counties. It never received a subcommittee hearing.

Under Collins’ bill, the boundary adjustment study committee would be made up of:

• Six individuals from the state of Iowa who are not lawmakers or appointees of the governor.
• No more than four members of the same political party.
• Five individuals from Illinois appointed under Illinois state law.

The governor would have to notify the Illinois governor when committee members have been appointed and schedule the committee’s first meeting no later than Sept. 1, 2026.

The panel would have to submit a report to legislatures in both states containing its recommendations, including any potential legislation and a summary of its work.

Each state would need to approve new boundary lines. And Congress would ultimately have to approve any changes to the states’ boundaries.

Collins said he had not yet spoken with the Senate to gauge support for his bill.

Asked if the bill would receive consideration in a subcommittee hearing, Rep. Jane Bloomingdale, R-Northwood, who chairs the House State Government Committee, said she had only learned of the bill Jan. 22 and had not yet reviewed it.

Marissa Payne covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. Reach her by email at mjpayne@registermedia.com. Follow her on X at @marissajpayne.