The latest attempt to split California into two states has caught the attention of the Shasta County Board of Supervisors.
In what in all likelihood would be a symbolic gesture, supervisors on Thursday will consider a resolution to support North State Assemblyman James Gallagher’s proposal to form a new state that would encompass inland California from the Oregon to Mexican borders.
Gallagher, R-East Nicolaus, announced his plan, Assembly Joint Resolution 23, in late August. The new state would be made up of 36 counties — including Butte, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama and Trinity.
Gallagher wants the inland counties to split from Sacramento and most of the state’s coastal counties.
His bill in is in response to the state’s attempt to redraw congressional district lines to favor Democrats and counter Texas’ redrawn maps that boost Republicans in the 2026 midterms. Proposition 50 will ask California voters on Tuesday, Nov. 4, to approve the new maps.
While Shasta County residents might not favor Proposition 50, recent polls show the measure is expected to pass.
“Whether you are from the North State, Central Valley, or the Inland Empire, life has become harder and completely unaffordable. We have been overlooked for far too long, and now they are trying to rip away what little representation we have left,” Gallagher said in an Aug. 27 news release announcing AJR 23.
The bill has the support of North State Assemblywoman Heather Hadwick, R-Alturas and Sen. Megan Dahle, R-Bieber.
“The proposed new state would include more than 10 million people, putting it among the top ten most populous states in the nation. It would cover most of Northern California, the Sierra Nevada, the Central Valley, and the Inland Empire,” Gallagher contends.
But Gallagher’s plan has little chance of moving forward because for starters it would have to be passed by California’s Democratic-controlled Legislature. Then it would need the U.S. Congress’ seal of approval.
Board of Supervisor Chair Kevin Crye, who represents District 1 which takes in parts of Redding, is sponsoring Thursday’s agenda item to support Gallagher’s plan. Gallagher is scheduled to give a presentation at the meeting, which starts at 9 a.m.
“By supporting the creation of a new state from these 36 (sic) counties, AJR 23 affirms the principle of self-determination and aims to foster more responsive governance, consistent with the ideals of American federalism. The resolution invokes Section 3 of Article IV of the U.S. Constitution, which outlines the process for admitting new states, and urges Congress to accept the Legislature’s consent,” the agenda staff report states.
It’s not known if any other counties support Gallagher’s plan.
Phone messages left at his main district office in Chico and his Capitol office in Sacramento were not returned.
This is not the first time Crye has sponsored a symbolic resolution with a nod toward his base of county supporters.
In September 2023, he led a 4-1 board majority to adopt a resolution to oppose “any overreaching government mandates related to COVID-19 or other health pandemics which impact individual liberties.”
The vote came months after California and the federal government ended the COVID-19 public health emergency mandating people to wear masks or get a vaccine due to the virus.
David Benda covers business, development and anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly “Buzz on the Street” column. He’s part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, cover breaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on Twitter @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 1-530-338-8323. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Latest plan to split California into two states to get a look in Shasta County
Reporting by David Benda, Redding Record Searchlight / Redding Record Searchlight
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