Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) signed a land-use bill into law Friday. It includes an amendment nullifying an agreement Disney made with the previous Reedy Creek Improvement District board. The Reedy Creek agreement undercut the power of the new state-appointed board over the district encompassing the Walt Disney World Resort.
DeSantis signed the bill, SB 1604, on Friday shortly after the state legislature ended its session.
DESANTIS-APPOINTED BOARD ANNOUNCES COUNTER LAWSUIT AGAINST DISNEY
The bill was amended last month to include a provision to allow "an independent special district" to be "precluded from complying" with agreements made in the three months before the modifying of laws on how the governing body selects members. The amendment does not directly name the former Reedy Creek Improvement District or the new Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.
The amendment also allows the new governing body to vote on readopting the agreements within four months of taking power.
"An independent special district is precluded from complying with the terms of any development agreement, and any other agreement for which the development agreement serves in whole or part as consideration, executed within 3 months preceding the effective date of a law modifying the manner of selecting members of the governing body of the independent special district from election to appointment or from appointment to election," the law says.
"The newly elected or appointed governing body of the independent special district shall review within 4 months of taking office any development agreement and any other agreement for which the development agreement serves in whole or part as consideration and, after such review, shall vote on whether to seek readoption of such agreement," the law continues.
The amendment was added to the bill shortly after DeSantis said the state would revoke the last-minute agreement with what he called "a strong one-two punch." The other part of the plan is for the board to declare the agreement void via one of the "legal infirmities" in the accord.
The agreement between Disney and the previous board did not allow the new board to make most changes without permission from the Walt Disney Company.
Shortly after the board voted to declare the agreement void, Disney sued DeSantis and the board, citing a "relentless campaign to weaponize government power against Disney in retaliation for expressing a political viewpoint unpopular with certain State officials."
The lawsuit alleges the state violated Disney's First Amendment right to free speech, the contract and takings clauses in the Constitution, and the company's 14th Amendment right to due process.
In response to the lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District voted to file a countersuit against Disney in the Circuit Court of the 9th Judicial Circuit in and for Orange County.
The ongoing feud between DeSantis and the company, which led to Disney's central Florida district being restructured, stemmed from Disney denouncing DeSantis's push for the Parental Rights in Education Act last year. Disney had maintained full autonomy over the district since its creation in 1967.
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In addition to the land-use bill being passed and signed into law, the Florida Senate officially confirmed the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board members, who were appointed by DeSantis. The five board members were confirmed on Thursday.
Ron Peri and Bridget Ziegler were confirmed to two-year terms, expiring Feb. 26, 2025, and Martin Garcia, Brian Aungst, and Michael Sasso were confirmed to four-year terms, expiring Feb. 26, 2027.