TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — State lawmakers are heading back to Tallahassee this week for another special session of the state legislature.
A lot of topics are on the table, but one has made a lot of headlines — Disney World and the Reedy Creek Improvement District.
“We’re not going to have a corporation controlling its own government,” said Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. “That’s going to be referred to the state.”
Last year, DeSantis stripped Disney of its special district status — the district allows the company to govern itself. The action came after Disney spoke out against the Parental Rights in Education bill, which critics dubbed the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill.
Previously, the company could propose a plan for regaining that status.
“This year, the special session is looking at reversing that decision, and putting a state board to oversee the district,” said Tara Newsom, a political science professor at St. Petersburg college. “Of course, the governor will be a part of the appointing power and authority for that.”
Newsom said legislators want to make sure citizens of the two counties Reedy Creek touches are protected from carrying the tax burden of Walt Disney World.
“So they’re really trying to find the sweet spot on how to push back against corporate advocacy,” said Newsom. “While protecting the citizens from the tax burden.”
Another topic the governor wants to handle in the session — adjusting state laws around transporting migrants, especially after the controversy with Martha’s Vineyard last year.
“Which is a means to change state law that the Florida legislature can actually transport not just immigrants that are in Florida,” Newsom explained. “But they can pay for the transport of immigrants anywhere within the United States.”
Newsom said DeSantis and the Republican-controlled legislature are on a similar page about many of these issues, so with the Republican supermajority, it’s likely they’ll be able to pass the bills they choose to.
The special session could also address updating the state’s name, image and likeness laws for college athletes, adding more money to the state’s emergency response and preparedness fund, and updating the laws for the Office of Statewide prosecution to include election violations.
