Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher (R-Yuba City) introduced the plan Wednesday, calling it “The Two State Solution.” The proposed new state would span much of the Central Valley, Northern California, and the Inland Empire — home to roughly 10 million residents who say they’ve been “forgotten” by Sacramento politicians.

“Whether you are from the North State, Central Valley, or the Inland Empire, life has become harder and unaffordable. We’ve been overlooked for far too long,” Gallagher declared at a news conference. “It’s time to secede from California because of a Legislature that has done nothing to make the state more affordable.”

The plan, known as Assembly Joint Resolution 23, points to California’s size, population, and stark divide between liberal coastal cities and conservative inland communities. Gallagher argued that new governance could free inland residents from crushing regulations, high costs, and environmental mandates.