After Proposition 50, which paves the way for Democrats to pick up five additional congressional seats in next year’s midterms, was approved by California voters last week, one Republican state lawmaker is pushing a plan that could split the Golden State into two.
Assembly Joint Resolution 23, introduced by Assemblyman James Gallagher (R–East Nicolaus) in August, proposes to create a new state comprised of 35 inland counties, including most of Northern California, the Sierra Nevada, the Central Valley, and the Inland Empire.
Assemblyman Gallagher spoke about the proposal to the Shasta County Board of Supervisors on Nov. 6. Under the proposal, Shasta County would be a part of the proposed new state.
During the meeting, Gallagher said that Prop 50 was “a major catalyst” for the proposal and noted that other major issues, such as “skyrocketing utility bills,” crime, homelessness, and wildfire migration, have been put on the back burner.
“The reality under California’s current structure is that the coastal regions hold most of the state’s population. They have the majority — a supermajority — of representatives,” Gallagher said during the meeting. “When they vote, they vote for their own interests, with little regard for inland California.” That’s just the reality. They don’t really care about us because they don’t have to.”
Gallagher, who has been a proponent of secession, noted that he would face uphill battles getting his idea approved unless local communities get involved.
“If I went into committee tomorrow to present that bill, it probably wouldn’t get through,” he said. “But I believe it can happen if it begins from the ground up, if counties and local jurisdictions come together around their common interests and their communities of interest to request, petition, and demand consent for statehood.”
The idea of splitting California into two states isn’t new. As noted during the meeting, other counties, such as Siskiyou, Modoc, Tehama, Lassen, and San Bernardino, have considered the idea.
The Shasta County Board of Supervisors, which has a conservative majority, was divided on the proposal. Supervisor Chris Kelstrom said he was “fully in support,” while others wondered if creating a new state was the right thing to do.
Should the proposal be approved, this wouldn’t be the first time a state has split into two. During the American Civil War, differences in religion, politics, and views on slavery led to Virginia splitting into two states.