A Springfield-area lawmaker wants to change the official state seal.
The date on the bottom of the seal is the date when the first state constitution was signed. Rep. Tim Butler wants that date changed to December 3, 1818 -- the date when Illinois officially became a state. He says he spent a lot of time researching the issue.
"I am the fourth great-grandson of a gentleman named Lewis Barker, who served in the very first General Assembly," Butler said. "These issues have a personal meaning for me because of my family history."
Butler says it’s a good time to make the change because Illinois celebrates its bicentennial next year. He's also pushing for laws declaring those dates as Illinois Constitution Day and Statehood Day.