Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Florida Senate and House pass bill that would strip Disney of special self-governing status

Florida Senate and House pass bill that would strip Disney of special self-governing status

The bill comes amid a feud with the company over its opposition to a contentious new state law which limits discussion of LGBTQ issues in schools.

The Florida Senate and House have both passed a bill that would dissolve the special taxing district that allows Walt Disney Co to self-govern in its theme park area.

The Republican-led Senate voted 23 to 16 to back the measure, while in the House, also Republican-led, the majority was 70-to-38.

The bill now heads to Governor Ron DeSantis, who is all but guaranteed to sign it.

It comes amid a feud with the entertainment giant over its opposition to a contentious new state law which limits discussion of LGBTQ issues in schools.

Disney's special status, which was granted in 1967, allows the company to self-govern by collecting taxes and providing emergency services.

The controversial law has been condemned by critics who say it marginalises LGBTQ people.


The proposal could have huge tax implications for Disney, whose series of theme parks transformed Orlando into one of the world's most popular tourist destinations.

Mr DeSantis wrote in a campaign fundraising email on Wednesday that if "Disney wants to pick a fight, they chose the wrong guy", adding that he will "not allow a woke corporation based in California to run our state".

The measures, pushed by Mr DeSantis, mark an intensification of his ongoing feud with Disney after the company said it would suspend political donations in the state and was committed to supporting organisations working to oppose the 'Don't Say Gay' law.

The law, signed by Mr DeSantis last month, bans lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity to children under the age of nine and has been condemned by critics who say it marginalises LGBTQ people.

However, supporters who back the policy say it is reasonable and that parents should address such topics with children, not teachers.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is widely seen as a presidential contender in 2024.


How would the bill impact Disney?


The company controls about 25,000 acres in the Orlando area, and the district allows the company to build new structures and pay impact fees for such construction without the approval of a local planning commission.

The bill would eliminate the Reedy Creek Improvement District, as the Disney government is known, as well as a handful of other similar districts by June 2023.

Mr DeSantis has hinted in the last few weeks that he wants to do away with Disney's protections, saying he doesn't "support special privileges in law just because a company is powerful".

Walt Disney's chief executive Bob Chapek faced a backlash from staff over the company's initial response to the 'Don't Say Gay' law


In a surprise move, Mr DeSantis asked politicians to consider the legislation during a special session he called this week.

It comes as a Disney heir, Charlee Disney, the daughter of Roy P Disney who is the great-nephew of Walt Disney and the co-founder of Walt Disney Co, recently came out as trans.

However, the company came under fire for initially failing to take a public stand against Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' law, which led to staff walkouts.

The move to strip Disney of self-governing status signals the latest blow in a culture war harnessed by Mr DeSantis as he runs for re-election, through staunch opposition to liberal policies on race, gender and abortion.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
×