Public land policy ballot measures

Voters have decided on public land policy ballot measures across the U.S. As a state ballot measure topic, public land policy includes measures regarding the ownership, management, transfer, leasing, and use of government-owned lands, as well as the relationship between states and federal lands. These systems include the internet, radio broadcasting, and television networks. The topic is grouped within the infrastructure policy area.

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Topic information

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State ballot measure

Infrastructure policy

Public land policy

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State ballot measures

Land use and development policy Parks, land, and natural area conservation Eminent domain policy

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Budget and tax policy

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Criminal justice and law enforcement policy

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Education policy

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Environment and energy policy

Energy policy Carbon emissions regulations Energy conservation and efficiency Energy market regulations Energy transmission projects Fossil fuel energy Hydroelectric energy Nuclear energy Solar and wind energy Hunting and fishing Fisheries and fishing regulations Game and fish commissions Hunting regulations Right to hunt and fish Natural disaster policy Earthquake infrastructure Flood infrastructure and management Storm infrastructure Wildfire management Agriculture policy Animal treatment laws Food policy Forestry and timber Mineral resources Parks, land, and natural area conservation Pollution, waste, and recycling policy

Governance policy

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Infrastructure policy

Housing policy Homestead tax exemptions Housing assistance programs Housing development funding Rent control and regulations Transportation policy Airport infrastructure Highways and bridges Non-motorized transportation Ports and harbors Public transportation Railways Toll roads Transportation taxes and fees Vehicle and driver regulations Water infrastructure Drinking water systems Sewage and stormwater Water irrigation policy Water storage Eminent domain policy Land use and development policy Public land policy Telecommunications infrastructure Utility policy

Labor, healthcare, and public assistance policy

Labor union policy Collective bargaining Labor disputes and strikes Labor union deductions Right-to-work laws Healthcare policy Complementary and alternative healthcare Healthcare facility funding Healthcare governance Private health insurance Public health insurance Vaccinations and disease policy Work regulations Child labor regulations Gender-based labor regulations Minimum wage laws Paid sick leave laws Workers' compensation laws Working hours regulations Public assistance programs Public employee retirement funds Public works labor and contracting

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Upcoming ballot measures

See also: 2026 ballot measures and 2027 ballot measures

The following is a list of state ballot measures related to this topic that are certified or potential for this year and future elections:

There are no ballot measures related to this topic that have qualified for the ballot.

List of state ballot measures

Click the tabs to view state ballot measures related to this topic, organized by year or state.

Years

States

2024

1. Alabama Amendment 1, Allow Franklin County Board of Education to Manage, Sell, or Lease Land in the Franklin County School System Amendment (2024)

2020

1. Colorado Proposition 114, Gray Wolf Reintroduction Initiative (2020)

2018

1. Connecticut Amendment 2, Legislative Requirements to Transfer State Properties Amendment (2018)

2012

1. Alaska Coastal Management Question, Ballot Measure 2 (August 2012)
2. Arizona Proposition 120, Declare State's Sovereignty Over Public Lands and Natural Resources Amendment (2012)

2009

1. New York Amendment 1, Forest Preserve Power Line Amendment (2009)

2002

1. North Carolina Nature and Historic Preserve Property Amendment (2002)

2000

1. Arizona Proposition 100, State Trust Lands Amendment (2000)

1998

1. Nebraska Amendment 2C, Property Tax Exemption for Public Use Property Measure (1998)
2. Utah Proposition 3, Specify the Purpose of Parcels of Public Land Amendment (1998)

1996

1. New Mexico Amendment 7 (1996)
2. Rhode Island Question 5, Bonds for Land Purchases (1996)

1995

1. New Jersey Public Question 4, Bonds for Green and Blue Acres (1995)
2. New York Amendment 4, Cemetery for the Town of Keene Amendment (1995)

1994

1. Missouri Amendment 2, Department of Natural Resources Park Property Tax Measure (1994)
2. Utah Proposition 2, Alter the Public School Funding System Amendment (1994)

1992

1. Arizona Proposition 102, State Trust Land Amendment (1992)

1990

1. Arizona Proposition 100, State Trust Land Exchange Amendment (1990)
2. Idaho Fees on Fish and Game Land, HJR 14 (1990)
3. Missouri Proposition A, Natural Streams System Program Initiative (1990)
4. South Dakota Amendment A, Disposition of Private Property Measure (1990)

1988

1. Minnesota Amendment 1, Establishing the Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund Amendment (1988)

1987

1. Washington SJR 8212, Investment of Permanent Public Land Funds Amendment (1987)

1984

1. Minnesota Amendment 1, Allowing the Exchange of State-Owned Lands Amendment (1984)

1983

1. New York Amendment 6, Exchange of Adirondack Park Land Amendment (1983)

1982

1. Alaska Measure 5, State Ownership of Federal Land Initiative (1982)
2. South Dakota Amendment B, Fines and Interest Rates on School Land Sales Measure (1982)

1980

1. Maine Court Facilities Bond Measure (1980)
2. Missouri Amendment 4, Allocation of Conservation Tax Funds for Local Government Compensation Measure (1980)
3. Washington SJR 132, State Control Over Federal Lands Amendment (1980)

1979

1. New York Amendment 2, Exchange of Land in Hamilton County Amendment (1979)

1978

1. Alaska Ballot Proposition 4, Homesteading of Vacant State Land Measure (1978)
2. Missouri Amendment 21, Conservation Revenue to Pay for Commission Lands Measure (1978)
3. North Dakota Dickinson Experiment Station Referendum, Measure 1 (1978)
4. South Dakota Amendment C, Public Land Mineral Rights Measure (1978)

1976

1. Alaska Ballot Proposition 3, State Land Disposal Amendment (1976)
2. South Dakota Amendment E, School and Public Lands Modernization Measure (1976)

1974

1. California Proposition 17, California Wild and Scenic Rivers Act Initiative (1974)
2. Utah Referendum 1, Permit the Land Use Act to be Enacted Measure (1974)

1972

1. Maine Question 5, State Parks, Airports and Maintenance Building Bond Measure (June 1972)

1970

1. Florida Amendment 5, Sale of State Submerged Lands Amendment (1970)
2. South Dakota Amendment H, School Trust Land Sale Measure (1970)

1968

1. Louisiana City of Lake Charles Amendment (1968)
2. Louisiana Lake Charles North Shore Development Amendment (1968)
3. South Dakota Amendment A, School Land Sales Measure (1968)

1966

1. California Proposition 3, Open Space Lands Amendment (1966)

1965

1. Alabama County Natural Resources, Amendment 23 (1965)
2. Alabama Managing Natural Resources, Amendment 27 (1965)
3. New York Amendment 8, Land for Piseco Airport Amendment (1965)

1964

1. Florida Amendment 8, Duties of the Commissioner of Agriculture Amendment (1964)

1961

1. New York Amendment 7, Highway Relocation in Hamilton County Amendment (1961)

1959

1. New York Amendment 2, Highway on Forest Preserve Land Amendment (1959)

1957

1. New York Amendment 6, Forest Land for Highway Purposes Amendment (1957)

1955

1. New York Amendment 7, Use of Forest Preserve Land to Construct a Reservoir Amendment (1955)

1954

1. Illinois Michigan Canal Amendment (1954)
2. South Dakota Amendment A, Pooling Lease Money Measure (1954)

1948

1. South Dakota Amendment C, School and Public Lands Lease Measure (1948)
2. South Dakota Amendment D, Tax on Public Shooting Areas Measure (1948)

1946

1. Utah Amendment 2, Permit Taxation of Land Belonging to the United States Measure (1946)

1942

1. South Dakota Amendment C, Lease Money and Land Income Measure (1942)
2. South Dakota Amendment D, Endowment Land Lease Money Measure (1942)

1940

1. California Proposition 13, State Park Land Leases for Oil and Gas Amendment (1940)

1933

1. New York Amendment 3, Construction of State Highway in Forest Preserve Amendment (1933)

1932

1. New York Amendment 1, Forest Preserve Land for Recreation Purposes Amendment (1932)

1927

1. New York Amendment 7, Highway Construction on Forest Preserve Land Amendment (1927)
2. New York Amendment 8, Condemnation of Land by Counties Amendment (1927)

1926

1. Illinois Lease of the Illinois and Michigan Canal Question (1926)

1924

1. Illinois Lease of the Illinois and Michigan Canal Question (1924)

1920

1. Arizona Measure Nos. 312-313, Reclamation of Arable Lands Initiative (1920)
2. Nebraska Amendment 11, Mineral Rights Amendment (September 1920)

1918

1. Massachusetts Question 2, Eminent Domain for Conservation and Use of Natural Resources Amendment (1918)
2. New York Amendment 2, Highway Construction on a Forest Preserve Amendment (1918)
3. South Dakota Amendment C, Reduce School Lands Down Payment Measure (1918)

1916

1. Missouri Amendment 2, Establish Missouri State Land Bank Initiative (1916)
2. South Dakota Amendment 8, Abolish Lease Limit on School Lands Measure (1916)

1912

1. Massachusetts Permit the Taxation of Wild and Forest Lands Amendment (1912)
2. Wisconsin Question 2, Public Land Acquisition Amendment (1912)

1911

1. New York Amendment 4, Private Property for Public Use Amendment (1911)
2. New York Amendment 7, Compensation of Private Property Amendment (1911)

1910

1. South Dakota School Land Use Amendment (1910)

1906

1. Illinois Sell Canal Lands Proposition (1906)

1892

1. New York Amendment 3, Onondaga Salt Springs Amendment (1892)

1882

1. Illinois Cede Canal to United States Question (1882)

1869

1. Minnesota Amendment 1, Abolishing Manomin County Measure (1869)

1868

1. Minnesota Amendment 3, Authorizing Sale of Internal Improvement Lands Measure (1868)

Alabama

1. Alabama Amendment 1, Allow Franklin County Board of Education to Manage, Sell, or Lease Land in the Franklin County School System Amendment (2024)
2. Alabama County Natural Resources, Amendment 23 (1965)
3. Alabama Managing Natural Resources, Amendment 27 (1965)

Alaska

1. Alaska Ballot Proposition 3, State Land Disposal Amendment (1976)
2. Alaska Ballot Proposition 4, Homesteading of Vacant State Land Measure (1978)
3. Alaska Coastal Management Question, Ballot Measure 2 (August 2012)
4. Alaska Measure 5, State Ownership of Federal Land Initiative (1982)

Arizona

1. Arizona Measure Nos. 312-313, Reclamation of Arable Lands Initiative (1920)
2. Arizona Proposition 100, State Trust Land Exchange Amendment (1990)
3. Arizona Proposition 100, State Trust Lands Amendment (2000)
4. Arizona Proposition 102, State Trust Land Amendment (1992)
5. Arizona Proposition 120, Declare State's Sovereignty Over Public Lands and Natural Resources Amendment (2012)

California

1. California Proposition 13, State Park Land Leases for Oil and Gas Amendment (1940)
2. California Proposition 17, California Wild and Scenic Rivers Act Initiative (1974)
3. California Proposition 3, Open Space Lands Amendment (1966)

Colorado

1. Colorado Proposition 114, Gray Wolf Reintroduction Initiative (2020)

Connecticut

1. Connecticut Amendment 2, Legislative Requirements to Transfer State Properties Amendment (2018)

Florida

1. Florida Amendment 5, Sale of State Submerged Lands Amendment (1970)
2. Florida Amendment 8, Duties of the Commissioner of Agriculture Amendment (1964)

Idaho

1. Idaho Fees on Fish and Game Land, HJR 14 (1990)

Illinois

1. Illinois Cede Canal to United States Question (1882)
2. Illinois Lease of the Illinois and Michigan Canal Question (1924)
3. Illinois Lease of the Illinois and Michigan Canal Question (1926)
4. Illinois Michigan Canal Amendment (1954)
5. Illinois Sell Canal Lands Proposition (1906)

Louisiana

1. Louisiana City of Lake Charles Amendment (1968)
2. Louisiana Lake Charles North Shore Development Amendment (1968)

Maine

1. Maine Court Facilities Bond Measure (1980)
2. Maine Question 5, State Parks, Airports and Maintenance Building Bond Measure (June 1972)

Massachusetts

1. Massachusetts Permit the Taxation of Wild and Forest Lands Amendment (1912)
2. Massachusetts Question 2, Eminent Domain for Conservation and Use of Natural Resources Amendment (1918)

Minnesota

1. Minnesota Amendment 1, Abolishing Manomin County Measure (1869)
2. Minnesota Amendment 1, Allowing the Exchange of State-Owned Lands Amendment (1984)
3. Minnesota Amendment 1, Establishing the Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund Amendment (1988)
4. Minnesota Amendment 3, Authorizing Sale of Internal Improvement Lands Measure (1868)

Missouri

1. Missouri Amendment 2, Department of Natural Resources Park Property Tax Measure (1994)
2. Missouri Amendment 2, Establish Missouri State Land Bank Initiative (1916)
3. Missouri Amendment 21, Conservation Revenue to Pay for Commission Lands Measure (1978)
4. Missouri Amendment 4, Allocation of Conservation Tax Funds for Local Government Compensation Measure (1980)
5. Missouri Proposition A, Natural Streams System Program Initiative (1990)

Nebraska

1. Nebraska Amendment 11, Mineral Rights Amendment (September 1920)
2. Nebraska Amendment 2C, Property Tax Exemption for Public Use Property Measure (1998)

New Jersey

1. New Jersey Public Question 4, Bonds for Green and Blue Acres (1995)

New Mexico

1. New Mexico Amendment 7 (1996)

New York

1. New York Amendment 1, Forest Preserve Land for Recreation Purposes Amendment (1932)
2. New York Amendment 1, Forest Preserve Power Line Amendment (2009)
3. New York Amendment 2, Exchange of Land in Hamilton County Amendment (1979)
4. New York Amendment 2, Highway Construction on a Forest Preserve Amendment (1918)
5. New York Amendment 2, Highway on Forest Preserve Land Amendment (1959)
6. New York Amendment 3, Construction of State Highway in Forest Preserve Amendment (1933)
7. New York Amendment 3, Onondaga Salt Springs Amendment (1892)
8. New York Amendment 4, Cemetery for the Town of Keene Amendment (1995)
9. New York Amendment 4, Private Property for Public Use Amendment (1911)
10. New York Amendment 6, Exchange of Adirondack Park Land Amendment (1983)
11. New York Amendment 6, Forest Land for Highway Purposes Amendment (1957)
12. New York Amendment 7, Compensation of Private Property Amendment (1911)
13. New York Amendment 7, Highway Construction on Forest Preserve Land Amendment (1927)
14. New York Amendment 7, Highway Relocation in Hamilton County Amendment (1961)
15. New York Amendment 7, Use of Forest Preserve Land to Construct a Reservoir Amendment (1955)
16. New York Amendment 8, Condemnation of Land by Counties Amendment (1927)
17. New York Amendment 8, Land for Piseco Airport Amendment (1965)

North Carolina

1. North Carolina Nature and Historic Preserve Property Amendment (2002)

North Dakota

1. North Dakota Dickinson Experiment Station Referendum, Measure 1 (1978)

Rhode Island

1. Rhode Island Question 5, Bonds for Land Purchases (1996)

South Dakota

1. South Dakota Amendment 8, Abolish Lease Limit on School Lands Measure (1916)
2. South Dakota Amendment A, Disposition of Private Property Measure (1990)
3. South Dakota Amendment A, Pooling Lease Money Measure (1954)
4. South Dakota Amendment A, School Land Sales Measure (1968)
5. South Dakota Amendment B, Fines and Interest Rates on School Land Sales Measure (1982)
6. South Dakota Amendment C, Lease Money and Land Income Measure (1942)
7. South Dakota Amendment C, Public Land Mineral Rights Measure (1978)
8. South Dakota Amendment C, Reduce School Lands Down Payment Measure (1918)
9. South Dakota Amendment C, School and Public Lands Lease Measure (1948)
10. South Dakota Amendment D, Endowment Land Lease Money Measure (1942)
11. South Dakota Amendment D, Tax on Public Shooting Areas Measure (1948)
12. South Dakota Amendment E, School and Public Lands Modernization Measure (1976)
13. South Dakota Amendment H, School Trust Land Sale Measure (1970)
14. South Dakota School Land Use Amendment (1910)

Utah

1. Utah Amendment 2, Permit Taxation of Land Belonging to the United States Measure (1946)
2. Utah Proposition 2, Alter the Public School Funding System Amendment (1994)
3. Utah Proposition 3, Specify the Purpose of Parcels of Public Land Amendment (1998)
4. Utah Referendum 1, Permit the Land Use Act to be Enacted Measure (1974)

Washington

1. Washington SJR 132, State Control Over Federal Lands Amendment (1980)
2. Washington SJR 8212, Investment of Permanent Public Land Funds Amendment (1987)

Wisconsin

1. Wisconsin Question 2, Public Land Acquisition Amendment (1912)

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Footnotes

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