Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law a bill Friday to repeal the Disney’s Autonomous District of Orlando, to penalize the company for its opposition to the so-called “Don’t Say Like Me” law.
The bill would replace the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which covers nearly 40 square miles of Orange and Osceola counties and includes Disney’s theme parks and resorts. Created in 1967, the district gives Disney the ability to enact its own land use rules and tax itself for providing services.
“I am not comfortable with having this kind of agenda to get special treatment in my state,” the governor said. “So the bill here sets the indicator.”
DeSantis has been at war with Disney since last month, when the company—under pressure from its employees—expressed its opposition to the Parental Rights to Education Act. The law prohibits discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation in classrooms from kindergarten through third grade, requires that any discussion in later grades be “age appropriate” and gives parents the power to sue school districts for alleged violations.
In interviews and public appearances, DeSantis accused Disney of “trying to impose an awakened ideology on our nation.”
“We view this as a significant threat,” DeSantis said on Fox & Friends earlier this month. “This resentment will destroy this country if we let it run relentlessly.”
Disney has not publicly commented on the new law. The law is set to enter into force on June 1, 2023, and may face legal challenges before then.
If it goes into effect, Disney will be indebted to Orange and Osceola counties for upkeep of roads and park sewage systems, and for providing other public services. Counties would face additional expenses, which could be incurred by taxpayers, and would be in trouble to service nearly $1 billion in debt. Scott Randolph, an elected tax collector for Orange County, estimated that the county’s burden would be $163 million annually.
The bill passed the legislature Thursday, as part of a special session originally called to deal with congressional redistricting. The legislature also passed a bill to repeal Disney’s cut from a 2021 state law aimed at regulating social media platforms.
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