2 years ago
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida’s Republican-led House on Thursday put the Legislature’s final stamp on two bills requested by Gov. Ron DeSantis to penalize The Walt Disney Co. for its public criticism of a new law restricting how sexual orientation and gender identity are addressed in public schools.
The legislation, which is now awaiting final approval from DeSantis, could spell the end of special benefits afforded to Disney since the 1960s that allow the California-based entertainment giant to self-govern the land surrounding its Disney World theme park in Central Florida. GOP leaders, including DeSantis, say the proposal is necessary to push back against “woke” corporations while Democrats opposed the idea, warning of widespread ramifications for thousands of employees and the local municipalities expected to take on new responsibilities.
In actions that took less than five minutes combined, House Republicans passed the bill peeling back Disney’s special privileges and another repealing a theme park carve-out in a measure approved last year that cracks down on tech companies.
There was no debate on either piece of legislation as Republican leaders called for a quick vote due to Democrats protesting the GOP redistricting plan on the House floor.
Both Disney-related measures passed the House 70-38 with Democrats in opposition, capping off a whirlwind special session that saw lawmakers steer the bills through the statehouse in three days after DeSantis called for the moves on Tuesday. Disney has been silent about the measures since they were introduced.
“What you saw was an acceleration of the process we’ve seen all session long, which is just to move things through,” state Rep. Fentrice Driskell (D-Tampa) told reporters after the vote.
The larger proposal, FL SB 4-C, calls for eliminating six special districts in Florida — namely the Reedy Creek Improvement District that grants Disney privileges like the ability to build its own structures without seeking approval from a local planning commission and collect taxes and issue bonds.
Republicans argue Reedy Creek grants Disney too much power compared to other theme parks in Florida, including the authority to construct its own nuclear plant, and want to dissolve the district by 2023. The legislation puts much at stake for Disney, Florida’s largest employer, and could lead to four Central Florida municipalities assuming some $1 billion of the company’s debt and control of its services like fire departments and water.
By giving Disney and the other special districts a yearlong buffer, Republicans say the company could return to the Legislature for a new plan to run its operation.
State Republicans hit Disney this week as DeSantis openly feuded with the company over its resistance to Florida’s recently enacted “Parental Rights in Education” bill, dubbed “Don’t Say Gay” by opponents, which prohibits educators from leading classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity for students in kindergarten through third grade. Disney at first was silent on the measure, drawing criticism from some employees, but later criticized the law and suspended making campaign donations in Florida as a response. DeSantis continues to slam Disney and is campaigning off fighting against "woke executives."
The other bill passed by the Senate on Thursday, FL SB 6-C, repeals a carve-out tucked into a law passed last year that exempted Disney and other theme parks from a law cracking down on tech companies, a policy that is currently being challenged in federal court.
The legislation is now pending the approval of DeSantis after passing the Senate on Wednesday.
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