Rhode Island Question 3, Environment and Recreation Bond Measure (2022)

Rhode Island Question 3
Election date November 8, 2022
Topic Bond issues
Status Approved
Type Bond issue	Origin State Legislature

Rhode Island Question 3, the Environment and Recreation Bond Measure, was on the ballot in Rhode Island as a legislatively referred bond question on November 8, 2022. The ballot measure was approved.

A "yes" vote supported issuing $50 million in bonds for environmental and recreational purposes.

A "no" vote opposed issuing $50 million in bonds for environmental and recreational purposes.

Election results

Rhode Island Question 3
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		228,228	66.86%
No		113,144	33.14%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Overview

What did the bonds in Question 1 fund?

See also: Text of measure

Question 3 was designed to issue $50 million in bonds for environmental and recreational purposes. The proceeds from the bond issuance were allocated as follows:

Bond allocations
Program	Amount
Municipal Resiliency	$16,000,000
Small Business Energy Loan Program	$5,000,000
Narragansett Bay and Watershed Restoration	$3,000,000
Forest Restoration	$3,000,000
Brownfields Remediation and Economic Development	$4,000,000
State Land Acquisition Program	$3,000,000
Local Land Acquisition Matching Grant Program	$2,000,000
Local Recreation Development Matching Grant Program	$2,000,000
Roger Williams Park and Zoo	$12,000,000

How did Question 3 get on the ballot?

See also: Path to the ballot

To put a legislatively referred bond question before voters, a simple majority vote is required in both the Rhode Island State Senate and the Rhode Island House of Representatives. In Rhode Island, the state General Assembly must ask voters to issue general obligation bonds over $50,000, except in the case of war, insurrection, or invasion.

The bond measure was introduced into the Rhode Island General Assembly as a provision of Article 5 of House Bill 7123 (HB 7123) on January 16, 2020. HB 7123 included three bond measures. The legislature voted on each article of HB 7123 separately.

The state House approved the article on June 16, 2022, by a vote of 69-1 with five not voting. The state Senate approved the article on June 23, 2022, by a vote of 33-0 with five not voting. Governor Daniel Mckee (D) signed HB 7123 on June 27, 2022, certifying the three bond issues for the ballot.

What were the other bond questions that appeared on the November ballot?

Three bond questions appeared on statewide ballots in November totaling $400 million.

Measure	Primary purpose	Amount
Question 1	Higher education	$100,000,000
Question 2	Public schools	$250,000,000
Question 3	Environment	$50,000,000

What was the history of bond measures in Rhode Island?

See also: Background

Between 2008 and 2021, voters in Rhode Island decided on 29 bond measures totaling $1.7 billion ($1,710,915,000) in principal value. Voters approved 100% of the bond measures, with support ranging from 55.23% (Question 2 of 2010) to 83.89% (Question 3 of 2016). As of 2022, voters had not rejected a bond measure since 2006, when 50.56% of electors rejected a $4.0 million bond for improvements in Fort Adams State Park.

Text of measure

Ballot question

The ballot question for Question 3 was as follows:

“

3. GREEN ECONOMY BONDS - $50,000,000 For environmental and recreational purposes, to be allocated as follows: a. Municipal Resiliency - $16,000,000 b. Small Business Energy Loan Program - $5,000,000 c. Narragansett Bay and Watershed Restoration - $3,000,000 d. Forest Restoration - $3,000,000 e. Brownfields Remediation and Economic Development - $4,000,000 f. State Land Acquisition Program - $3,000,000 g. Local Land Acquisition Matching Grant Program - $2,000,000 h. Local Recreation Development Matching Grant Program - $2,000,000 i. Roger Williams Park and Zoo - $12,000,000 [ ] Approve [ ] Reject

”

Full text

The full text of the bond proposals in Article 5 of the state budget is below:

Readability score

See also: Ballot measure readability scores, 2022

Using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) and Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) formulas, Ballotpedia scored the readability of the ballot title for this measure. Readability scores are designed to indicate the reading difficulty of text. The Flesch-Kincaid formulas account for the number of words, syllables, and sentences in a text; they do not account for the difficulty of the ideas in the text. The state legislature wrote the ballot language for this measure.

The FKGL for the ballot title is grade level 12, and the FRE is 21. The word count for the ballot title is 62.

Support

Yes on 3 led the campaign in support of Question 3.

Supporters

Officials

• Gov. Daniel McKee (D)
• Senate President Dominick Ruggerio (D)
• House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi (D)
• Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management

Corporations

• Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank

Organizations

• Audubon Society of Rhode Island
• Clean Water Action
• Climate Jobs Rhode Island
• Rhode Island Land Trust Council

Arguments

• Gov. Daniel McKee (D): "The $50 million 2022 green bond exemplifies the power of government and public-private partnerships to solve problems and make people’s lives better. I intend for Rhode Island to emerge stronger and fairer from the COVID pandemic than we were going into it. Voting yes on Question 3 will go a good way toward achieving it."
• Patrick Crowley, co-Chair Climate Jobs Rhode Island and secretary-treasurer of the RI AFL-CIO: "Passage of the $50 million Green Bond is a significant investment in the state’s climate action that will mitigate the impacts of climate change through increased investment in green infrastructure. This investment will boost our state’s climate resiliency, while creating good-paying union jobs, and expanding access for small businesses to low-cost financing for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects that will save them money and reduce carbon emissions."
• Department of Environmental Management (DEM) Director Terry Gray: "Funding supplied by voter-approved green bonds is a catalyst that gives DEM the capability to do much of what we do to manage, protect, and restore Rhode Island’s natural resources. We are grateful to stand with so many leading organizations to make the case that passing Question No. 3 in November will help us become a better, more equitable state that will be better prepared to meet the burden of climate change."

Opposition

Ballotpedia did not locate a campaign in opposition to the ballot measure.

Campaign finance

The campaign finance information on this page reflects the most recent scheduled reports that Ballotpedia has processed, which covered through February 2, 2023.

See also: Campaign finance requirements for Rhode Island ballot measures

Ballotpedia identified one committee registered to support Question 3—Yes on 3 RI. It reported $27,000 in contributions. If you are aware of any committees, please submit links to editor@ballotpedia.org.

	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Support	$27,000.00	$0.00	$27,000.00	$23,493.82	$23,493.82
Oppose	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
Total	$27,000.00	$0.00	$27,000.00	$23,493.82	$23,493.82

Support

The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committee in support of the measure.

Committees in support of Question 3
Committee	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Yes on 3 RI	$27,000.00	$0.00	$27,000.00	$23,493.82	$23,493.82
Total	$27,000.00	$0.00	$27,000.00	$23,493.82	$23,493.82

Donors

The following was the top donor to the committee.

Donor	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions
Roger Williams Park Zoo	$10,000.00	$0.00	$10,000.00
Nature Conservancy	$7,000.00	$0.00	$7,000.00
Build RI	$5,000.00	$0.00	$5,000.00
Save the Bay	$5,000.00	$0.00	$5,000.00

Background

Environment, recreation, and water bond measures in Rhode Island

From 2008 through 2021, Rhode Island voters approved all nine bond measures that appeared on the ballot related to the environment, recreation, and water totaling $308.5 million in bonds. Approval rates for the measures ranged from 58.04% to 78.86%.

Bond issues on the ballot in Rhode Island

Between 2008 and 2021, voters in Rhode Island decided on 29 bond measures totaling $1.7 billion ($1,710,915,000) in principal value. Voters approved all of the bond measures, with support ranging from 55.23% (Question 2 of 2010) to 83.89% (Question 3 of 2016). As of 2022, voters had not rejected a bond measure since 2006, when 50.56% of electors rejected a $4.0 million bond for improvements in Fort Adams State Park.

The following table contains information on the 29 bond issues that appeared on the ballot in Rhode Island between 2008 and 2021:

Year	Measure	Primary purpose	Amount	Outcome
2008	Question 1	Transportation projects	$87,215,000	a
2008	Question 2	Environment and recreation	$2,500,000	a
2010	Question 2	Higher education	$78,000,000	a
2010	Question 3	Transportation projects	$84,700,000	a
2010	Question 4	Environment and recreation	$14,700,000	a
2012	Question 3	Higher education	$50,000,000	a
2012	Question 4	Housing	$94,000,000	a
2012	Question 5	Water infrastructure	$12,000,000	a
2012	Question 6	Environment and recreation	$20,000,000	a
2012	Question 7	Housing	$25,000,000	a
2014	Question 4	Higher education	$125,000,000	a
2014	Question 5	Museums	$35,000,000	a
2014	Question 6	Transportation projects	$35,000,000	a
2014	Question 7	Environment and recreation	$53,000,000	a
2016	Question 3	Housing	$27,000,000	a
2016	Question 4	Higher education	$45,500,000	a
2016	Question 5	Transportation projects	$70,000,000	a
2016	Question 6	Environment and recreation	$35,000,000	a
2016	Question 7	Environment and recreation	$50,000,000	a
2018	Question 1	School buildings	$250,000,000	a
2018	Question 2	Higher education facilities	$70,000,000	a
2018	Question 3	Environment and recreation	$47,300,000	a
2021	Question 1	Higher education	$107,300,000	a
2021	Question 2	Water and recreation	$74,000,000	a
2021	Question 3	Housing	$65,000,000	a
2021	Question 4	Transportation	$71,700,000	a
2021	Question 5	Education	$15,000,000	a
2021	Question 6	Culture and arts	$7,000,000	a
2021	Question 7	Industrial infrastructure	$60,000,000	a

GO bond debt in Rhode Island

As of the fiscal year 2021, the Rhode Island state debt from general obligation (GO) bonds was $1.3 billion, a $36.7 million increase from the prior fiscal year.

Path to the ballot

To put a legislatively referred bond question before voters, a simple majority vote is required in both the Rhode Island State Senate and the Rhode Island House of Representatives. In Rhode Island, the state General Assembly must ask voters to issue general obligation bonds over $50,000, except in the case of war, insurrection, or invasion.

The bond measure was introduced into the Rhode Island General Assembly as a provision of Article 5 of House Bill 7123 (HB 7123) on January 16, 2022. HB 7123 included three bond measures. The legislature voted on each article of HB 7123 separately.

On June 16, 2022, Article 5 of HB 7123 passed in a vote of 69-1 with five members not voting, in the state House. On June 23, 2022, the state Senate voted 33-0 with five not voting.

Governor Daniel McKee (D) signed HB 7123 on June 27, 2022, certifying the three bond issues for the ballot.

Vote in the Rhode Island House of Representatives June 16, 2022
Requirement: Simple majority vote of all members in each chamber
Number of yes votes required: 38  a
	Yes	No	Not voting
Total	69	1	5
Total percent	92.00%	1.33%	6.66%
Democrat	60	0	5
Republican	9	1	0

Vote in the Rhode Island State Senate June 23, 2022
Requirement: Simple majority vote of all members in each chamber
Number of yes votes required: 20  a
	Yes	No	Not voting
Total	33	0	5
Total percent	86.84%	0.00%	13.16%
Democrat	33	0	0
Republican	0	0	5

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in Rhode Island

Click "Show" to learn more about voter registration, identification requirements, and poll times in Rhode Island.

How to cast a vote in Rhode Island

Poll times Polls in Rhode Island open at 7 a.m. Eastern Time except in New Shoreham, where they open at 9 a.m. All polls statewide close at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote. Registration requirements Check your voter registration status here. To register to vote in Rhode Island, an applicant must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of Rhode Island, and at least 16 years old. To voter, one must be at least 18 years old by Election Day. Applicants can register online, by mailing in a voter registration form, or in person at the local board of canvassers or other state agencies such as the Department of Motor Vehicles, Department of Human Services, or the Department of Mental Health. Automatic registration See also: Automatic voter registration Rhode Island enacted automatic voter registration in 2017. Online registration See also: Online voter registration Rhode Island has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website. Same-day registration See also: Same-day voter registration “ Rhode Island allows for same day voter registration for the Presidential Election only. If you miss the voter registration deadline, you can register to vote on Election Day, but you will only be able to vote for President and Vice President. You will not be able to vote in any state, local, or other federal races. You can only register and vote on Election Day at the location designated by your local board of canvassers. ” Residency requirements To register to vote in Rhode Island, you must be a resident of the state. Verification of citizenship See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States Rhode Island does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury. All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters. Verifying your registration The Rhode Island Department of State allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website. Voter ID requirements Rhode Island requires voters to present photo identification (ID) while voting. The following list of accepted ID was current as of October 2025. Click here for the Rhode Island Secretary of State page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information. RI Driver's License or Permit RI Voter ID Card U.S. Passport ID issued by a U.S. educational institution U.S. military ID ID card issued by the United States or the State of Rhode Island Government issued medical card Tribal ID The Rhode Island Secretary of State issues free voter photo ID cards to individuals who do not possess a valid photo ID. Individuals may visit the Voter Information Center, call 401-222-2340, or email elections@sos.ri.gov for more information.

See also

2022 measures

• 2022 ballot measures
• Bond issues on the ballot

Rhode Island

• Rhode Island ballot measures
• Rhode Island ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

• Rhode Island Secretary of State Voter Guide
• House Bill 7213 on LegiScan
• House Bill 7123 full text
• House Bill 7213 Article 5