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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

An Indiana bill would set up a commission to evaluate changing the state’s boundary with Illinois to welcome counties who have approved exploring seceding from the Land of Lincoln.

Indiana lawmakers debate immigration bill