TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida lawmakers stated a plan for Disney’s special district is probably going coming soon.
The leisure firm will lose its privileges by the Reedy Creek Improvement District subsequent yr. Since 1967, RCID has allowed Disney World in central Florida to function the district like a county authorities.
In April, the governor signed a invoice to dissolve Reedy Creek and a number of other districts prefer it. Republicans pushed by the thought throughout a special session, believing the corporate had an excessive amount of autonomy.
The laws got here after Disney condemned the approval of HB 1557, the Parental Rights in Education invoice — what critics name the “Don’t Say Gay” invoice. Now regulation, the coverage restricts instruction of gender id and sexual orientation in kindergarten by third-grade school rooms, or “in a manner not age appropriate.”
State Rep. Randy Fine, R-Palm Beach, carried the special districts bill within the House. He stated that on the time, “when you kick the hornet’s nest, you never know what’s going to come up.”
“I think that Disney has forgotten that they are a guest in our state,” Fine stated in April. “A California company needs to respect Florida values if they want to do business there.”
Many since anticipated Disney would hammer out a brand new settlement with the state earlier than Reedy Creek’s expiration on June 1 of subsequent yr. Critics notice time is of the essence because the district’s roughly $1 billion in bond debt could be transferred to central Florida taxpayers with out reconstitution.
“The one thing that I can tell the audience is that the conversations of Reedy Creek have always been there, and they’re still continuing today,” state Rep. Daniel Perez, R-Miami, advised us throughout a current interview.
Perez is anticipated to grow to be House Speaker in 2024. During an interview final week, the high-ranking Republican stated he anticipated the general public would discover out what’s subsequent for Disney and its district shortly.
“We’ll try to put a bow to that conversation in the near future,” he stated. “As for the timetable on that, it’s still uncertain. But the conversations have continued. There is some progress to be made, but we will definitely, I think, we’ll reach a solution sometime soon.”
Disney hasn’t but commented on the scenario or shared particulars of what a reworked special district would possibly appear to be. The governor’s workplace has additionally stayed quiet.
“We don’t have an announcement to make at the moment but stay tuned,” governor press secretary Bryan Griffin stated.
Democrats, in the meantime, proceed to sentence Republicans for taking motion within the first place. With a deal nearing, state Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, was hopeful Disney would stay agency on its opposition to HB 1557.
“I know that Disney, as a corporation, is going to pursue whatever avenue will benefit their bottom line,” Eskamani stated. “But, I hope they continue to hold a line on their values of being an inclusive and welcoming company that has, not only LGBTQ+ cast members and employees but also customers.”
Any new deal will nonetheless want the Legislature’s approval and the governor’s signature to grow to be regulation. The common 60-day lawmaking session begins in March and runs till May.