Question · every Rhode Island voter

Higher Education Facilities (Question 1)$275 million in bonds for new buildings at URI, CCRI and Rhode Island College

Legislative referral (general obligation bond): 2026-H 7127 Sub A as amended (FY2027 budget), Article 5, placed on the ballot by the Legislature as House Bill 7127 Sub A as amended (FY2027 budget), Article 5 . Passes with a simple majority of the votes cast on it.

Read the full text of the measure: House Bill 7127 Sub A as amended, Article 5, Section 1 (RI General Assembly)

In plain words

Bonds are borrowing the state pays back with interest. If this passes, the state can borrow up to $275 million for three college building projects. (webserver.rilegislature.gov )

Before and after

Item	Today	If it passes
Borrowing for these college buildings	No bond money approved	State can borrow up to $275 million
University of Rhode Island	No bond money for the Integrated Health Building	$165 million for a new Integrated Health Building at the Kingston campus
Community College of Rhode Island	No bond money for this center	$60 million for a workforce innovation center on the Warwick campus
Rhode Island College	No bond money for this center	$50 million for a student success and career readiness center and renovations at the Adams Library

Numbers from the official ballot title (ballot title ); also see (webserver.rilegislature.gov )

Biggest change

Lets the state borrow up to $275 million for college buildings: $165 million for a new Integrated Health Building at the University of Rhode Island (Kingston), $60 million for a workforce innovation center at the Community College of Rhode Island (Warwick), and $50 million for a student success and career readiness center and renovations at the Adams Library at Rhode Island College. source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Who it affects most: Students and staff at URI, CCRI and Rhode Island College, and taxpayers who repay the bonds.

Cost to the state: Unknown for this question alone: the bill does not give a total cost. Interest adds to the amount borrowed. The bill says the bonds must be paid off within 20 state fiscal years after the year they are issued (Article 5, Section 4). The state's yearly payments come from its regular budget.

Our plain-words summary. Every line points to its source.

What your vote means

YES

The state can borrow up to $275 million for new buildings at URI, CCRI and Rhode Island College.

The state cannot borrow this money for these college buildings.

Our one-line summary. Rhode Island does not publish an official "what your vote means" statement; the ballot title above is the official description.

Why people want it, and why others object

Why this is on the ballot

The Legislature put this on the ballot. It changes a state law, which lawmakers can later change. It passes with a simple majority of the votes cast on it.

The General Assembly put all five bond questions on the ballot in Article 5 of the state budget bill for the year that starts July 2026 (House Bill 7127). Voters decide each question separately, and a project is approved if a majority of the people voting on it vote to approve it. source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Why supporters want it

No public statement found.

Why opponents object

No public statement found.

Who backs each side

Placed on the ballot by the General Assembly in the budget bill. No campaign committee or money found yet. source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

In each side's own words where we could find them, quoted or summarized with a link to the source. We don't endorse either side.

What you will see on your ballot

Official ballot wording, word for word (tap to open)

The official ballot title, word for word from the Rhode Island General Assembly's text of House Bill 7127 (the budget), Article 5 .

(1) Higher Education Facilities $275,000,000
Approval of this question will allow the State to issue general obligation bonds, refunding bonds, and/or temporary notes in an amount not to exceed two hundred and seventy-five million dollars ($275,000,000) for capital improvements to higher education facilities, to be allocated as follows:
(a) University of Rhode Island Integrated Health Building $165,000,000
Provides one hundred and sixty-five million dollars ($165,000,000) for the construction of the new Integrated Health Building on the University of Rhode Island's Kingston campus to advance health education, clinical training, and workforce development.
(b) RIC Adams Library Renovations $50,000,000
Provides fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) to fund the construction of a student success and career readiness center and renovations located at the Adams Library on the Rhode Island College campus.
(c) CCRI Workforce Innovation Center $60,000,000
Provides sixty million dollars ($60,000,000) to fund the construction of a new workforce innovation center located on the Warwick campus of the Community College of Rhode Island. Funds will be used for the construction of a modern career and technical educational facility designed to support workforce readiness and address critical workforce shortages in the State.

Shall the action of the general assembly, by an act passed at the January 2026 session, authorizing the issuance of bonds, refunding bonds, and temporary notes of the State of Rhode Island for the capital projects and in the amount with respect to each such project listed below be approved, and the issuance of bonds, refunding bonds, and/or temporary notes authorized in accordance with the provisions of said act?
APPROVE
REJECT

Wording copied word for word from House Bill 7127 Sub A as amended (H7127Aaa), Article 5, Section 1 ("Proposition to be submitted to the people"), on the Rhode Island General Assembly website. GAP: not yet checked against the Department of State's Voter Information Handbook or the final ballot label, which we could not open. This file is the budget bill as amended; we have not confirmed it is the final signed version. Your ballot is the final word.

Latest news

Recent reporting from a range of outlets, newest first. We link to it; we don't endorse it.

No articles collected yet for this measure.

Full text of the measure

The bill text for all five questions is in one article. Read it in the House Bill 7127 Sub A as amended, Article 5, Section 1 (RI General Assembly) , or on the Legislature's page for House Bill 7127 Sub A as amended (FY2027 budget), Article 5 , which also shows the votes in each chamber.

We link to analysis from several sources; we don't endorse it.