05/19/2026
Did you know there’s a proposal in the State Legislature to split California into two states?
AR23 is currently on-going and seeks to do just that. According to Ballotpedia, Assembly Minority Leader Gallagher introduced his two-state proposal as Assembly Joint Resolution 23 (AJR 23) on Aug. 26, 2025.
Six Assembly Republicans co-sponsored the resolution with him, along with one state senator. In AJR 23, Gallagher mentioned a previous attempt, the Pico Act: “Efforts to divide California are deeply rooted in its history, dating back more than a century. Notably, in 1859, voters overwhelmingly approved splitting the state into two.”
Gallagher said Proposition 50, being placed on the ballot and passed on Nov. 4, 2025, was “the straw that broke the camel’s back.” Proposition 50 will amend the California Constitution to allow the state to use a new, legislature-drawn congressional district map for 2026 through 2030.
Gallagher stated, “There has been a lot of these problems for a while, but now what you’re telling me is that you’re going to strip my area, you know, of all congressional representation.” Nick Miller, a spokesperson for Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D), responded, “Assembly Republicans say they oppose gerrymandering but just drew this joke of a map. ... a true James Gallamander.”
Creating a new state from an existing state requires more than a bill, resolution, or ballot measure. Article IV, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution requires the consent of the state legislature, as seen with the Pico Act, and Congress. The president must also sign the legislation to create a new state. West Virginia is the most recent state formed from an existing state, separating from Virginia in 1863 during the Civil War.
What do you think, should the 209 be placed in a “new California”?
