Florida’s Governor DeSantis Expands Special Session To Look at Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District

Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis is adding the removal of Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District to the Legislature Special Session that started on April 19th.

DeSantis said:

“..yes, they will be considering their congressional map. But they also will be considering termination of all special districts that were enacted in Florida prior to 1968. And that includes the Reedy Creek Improvement District.”

It isn’t limited to Disney’s Reedy Creek, but they are the best known.

A proclamation was issued by DeSantis addressing the special session expansion:

Here’s the proclamation Gov. DeSantis issued this morning, expanding the special session to also include legislation relating to independent special districts in Florida: pic.twitter.com/3tUnHQv3Ot

— Ashley Carter (@AshleyLCarter1) April 19, 2022

Basically, it’s calling for a review of the special districts that corporations benefited from prior to the 1968 constitutional amendment that “disfavors special laws as opposed to general laws, but permits the creation of independent special districts.”

If this was an issue for all these years why wasn’t it changed until now?

Many are arguing that this is about slapping back at the Walt Disney Company after CEO Bob Chapek publicly condemned their Parental Rights in Education Bill, and announced they were going to fight the legislation. Which seemed to many as Disney overstepping their authority in government.

Nothing can be done immediately, if special districts are removed it wouldn’t take effect until June 1, 2023. But it would impact more special “improvement districts” outside of Walt Disney World. Some date back as far as 1880 and include: “Florida Inland Navigation District, the Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority, and the South Florida Water Management District.”

Discussions can be made, but nothing can be fully implemented without notice, according to Florida Senator Linda Stewart:

“You can make all the statements you want, but then you’ve got the legal ramifications, and that is they’re required to do a 30-day notice (for legislation.) We can have the discussion as far as I’m concerned, we can’t really pass anything.”

So the next few days are going to be interesting.

What do you think? Comment and let us know!

Source: Orlando Sentinel