Bill Filed To Declare New Illinois State Sandwich

This is the hard-hitting legislation we need.

Traditional politics and national news is getting exhausting. Now, there's a new bill in Illinois addressing a much needed topic.

State Rep. Rick Ryan said on Friday he is filing a bill to make Illinois' state sandwich a particular kind. And believe it or not, there's controversy around it.

Does Illinois Already Have A State Sandwich?

While it's not on official state filing, there's an argument made that Illinois' iconic sandwich is the horseshoe sandwich from Springfield. It's an open-faced sandwich that's pretty much a toasted ham and cheese sandwich with French fries. But since it's open-faced, it begs the question: is it really a sandwich though?

But: there's legislation in the works to make it Illinois' official open-faced sandwich.

Ryan said:

I do have a colleague that's going to make that the official open faced sandwich of the state of Illinois because there is a difference. And it's a regional thing down in central and southern Illinois that they're very proud of. So I don't want to take that away from them.

So if that's not Illinois' state sammie, what is it then?

The Illinois State Sandwich Would Be:

Under the new bill, the official Illinois State Sandwich would be an Italian beef sandwich. It's a Chicago-style sandwich that includes thinly-sliced, seasoned roast beef, au jus, on a long, crusty roll.

Ryan's argument as to why this should be the state sandwich is:

The Italian beef sandwich has long been a staple of Illinois meals. It’s our most well-known sandwich, and I’m excited to see this officially named as our state sandwich. It really represents a part of Illinois culture that so many of us enjoy.

So will we get a discount on Italian beef sandwiches in Illinois now? Please?

Ryan says he's gotten a lot of support for the bill from both Republicans and Democrats.