Florida House Votes to End Disney’s Special Tax Status

Bill now moves to DeSantis’ office to be signed into law.

QUICK FACTS:
  • The Florida House of Representatives on Thursday gave final passage to a bill that will dissolve Walt Disney World’s private government, The Associated Press (AP) reports.
  • The passage hands Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis a victory in his fight with Disney over the company’s opposition to Florida’s “Parental Rights in Education” bill that protects parents’ rights to make decisions regarding the upbringing of their children, specifically about classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through 3rd grade.
  • The move could have huge tax implications for Disney, according to AP.
  • The bill now moves to DeSantis’ office to be signed into law.
WHAT THE BILL WILL DO:
  • The bill passed by the legislature on Thursday would eliminate the Reedy Creek Improvement District, as the 55-year-old Disney government is known, as well as a handful of other similar districts by June 2023, AP notes.
  • The measure does allow for the districts to be reestablished, leaving an avenue to renegotiate its future.
BACKGROUND:
  • “Parents’ rights have been increasingly under assault around the nation, but in Florida we stand up for the rights of parents and the fundamental role they play in the education of their children,” said Governor Ron DeSantis.
  • “Parents have every right to be informed about services offered to their child at school, and should be protected from schools using classroom instruction to sexualize their kids as young as 5 years old.”

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