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6/3/2025
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Senate approves Sosnowski bid to make clean air, soil and climate a state constitutional right
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STATE HOUSE — The Senate today approved a resolution introduced by Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski (D-Dist. 37, South Kingstown) that seeks to add a Green Amendment to the state constitution.
The resolution (2025-S 0327) would ask the state’s voters to amend Article I of the state constitution to provide all people in the state with an inherent, inalienable, indefeasible and self-executing right to clean air, health and uncontaminated soil, a life supporting climate and the preservation of the environment’s natural, scenic and recreational values.
“When it comes to protecting the environment, Rhode Island has always been a leader, and I’m proud that the General Assembly has prioritized protecting the vast natural resources of our small state,” said Senator Sosnowski, who chairs the Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture. “This would ask Rhode Island voters to forever enshrine in our constitution the protection of these resources for present and future generations.”
If enacted, Rhode Island would join Montana, Pennsylvania and New York in preserving environmental rights in its constitution.
The measure, which would be placed on the ballot at the next statewide general election, now moves to the House of Representatives where similar legislation (2025-H 5732) has been introduced by Rep. David A. Bennett (D-Dist. 20, Warwick, Cranston), who chairs the House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources.
For more information, contact:
Daniel Trafford, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401)222-1922
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