Illinois Quick Hits: Iowa wants Illinois' counties

Illinois Quick Hits: Iowa wants Illinois’ counties

February 9, 2026/Newspaper Staff/

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – An Iowa state lawmaker has introduced legislation that would establish a committee to study the potential transfer of one or more Illinois counties to Iowa.

State Rep. Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis, proposed House File 2141, the Iowa-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Act.

Last year, Indiana lawmakers passed a bill to create an Indiana-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Commission.

QUANTUM PARK

The Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park and the Illinois Economic Development Corporation announced that Quantum Machines will establish a hub at the planned Chicago park.

While the IQMP is being developed, the quantum control solutions company will be situated at the IQMP’s on-ramp facilities in Chicago, supported by grant funding from the IDCEO.

State, county and city governments have provided hundreds of millions of dollars in tax incentives for companies to operate at the IQMP.

UNHEALTHY STATES

Illinois, Missouri and Iowa are three of the unhealthiest states in the country, according to a NiceRx report.

A data analysis of obesity rates, alcohol consumption, physical activity levels and number of fitness facilities named Louisiana the unhealthiest state. Missouri ranked fourth, Illinois ranked fifth and Iowa was sixth.

According to the study, the healthiest state is Idaho.

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