DeSantis signs bill to end Disney’s self-governing power

Feb 27, 2023

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Stacey Chamberlain (Producer/Editor)

The battle between Florida and Disney took another turn Monday. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law that ends Disney’s self-governing power and puts the media giant’s Florida property under the control of a state board appointed by the governor.

Since the 1960s, Disney has been considered its own district, exempt from certain taxes and laws in the state of Florida. Disney and DeSantis have previously been at odds. A debate sparked between the two when Disney’s former CEO Bob Chapek spoke out against a Florida bill that restricted classroom instruction on gender and sexual orientation. He called the legislation anti-LGBTQ.

Their disagreement put Disney in the limelight. DeSantis then put its district status under review. Ultimately the state legislature passed a bill revoking its privileges that other amusement parks in the state don’t have.

Disney said the company is ready to work within the new framework. At a press conference Monday, DeSantis signed the bill and said the legislation puts an end to the corporate kingdom.

“Disney loses self-governing status. The state of Florida is the new sheriff in town. Decades of subsidies and benefits that have really accumulated to kind of this one powerful company. And now we’re basically just on an even playing field. And what’s good for SeaWorld is good for Disney and that’s just the way it’s got to be,” DeSantis said.

Tags: Bob Chapek, Disney, Disney World, Florida, Ron DeSantis

THE BATTLE BETWEEN FLORIDA AND DISNEY TOOK ANOTHER TURN TODAY —

GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS SIGNED A BILL INTO LAW THAT ENDS DISNEY’S SELF-GOVERNING POWER AND PUTS THE MEDIA GIANT’S FLORIDA PROPERTY UNDER THE CONTROL OF A STATE-BOARD APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.

SINCE THE 19-60’S DISNEY HAS BEEN CONSIDERED ITS OWN DISTRICT — EXEMPT FROM CERTAIN TAXES AND LAWS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

DISNEY AND DESTANTIS HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN AT ODDS – A DEBATE SPARKED BETWEEN THE TWO WHEN DISNEY’S NOW FORMER CEO BOB CHAPEK SOUNDED OFF AGAINST A FLORIDA BILL THAT RESTRICTED CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION ON “GENDER AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION.” CALLING THE LEGISLATION ANTI-LGBTQ.

THEIR DISAGREEMENT PUT DISNEY IN THE LIMELIGHT – DESANTIS THEN PUT THEIR DISTRICT-STATUS UNDER REVIEW.

ULTIMATELY THE STATE LEGISLATURE PASSED A BILL REVOKING ITS PRIVILEGES THAT OTHER AMUSEMENT PARKS IN THE STATE DON’T HAVE.

DISNEY SAID THE COMPANY IS READY TO WORK WITHIN THE NEW FRAMEWORK.

AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY — DESANTIS SIGNED THE BILL — SAYING THE LEGISLATION PUTS AN END TO THE CORPORATE KINGDOM.

RON DESANTIS | (R) FLORIDA GOVERNOR: “So Disney loses self-governing status. The state of Florida is the new sheriff in town.” I mean, these are, you know, decades of subsidies and benefits that have really accumulated to kind of this one powerful company. And now we’re basically just on an even playing field. And what’s good for SeaWorld is good for Disney and that’s just the way it’s got to be.”