Gabrielle Russon
Republicans have filed an amendment, tucked into a Senate bill, that targets Disney World’s government.
The amendment would seize back power from Disney after its old governing board made development agreements with Disney, neutering a new board full of members Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed.
Sen. Blaise Ingoglia’s amendment says an independent special district is prohibited from following any development agreements within three months of a law that changes how the board members are selected.
The amendment also calls for a special district’s newly appointed board to review any development agreements and other agreements within four months of taking office.
“This immediately seems like it’s going to run into Constitutional problems with impairing contracts,” Rep. Anna Eskamani, an Orlando Democrat and outspoken critic of DeSantis, wrote on social media.
DeSantis has accused Disney of orchestrating a special deal and circumventing the state when the company and its old governing board — with members selected by Disney — approved long-term land agreement deals before the state seized control of the board.
New board members complained the agreements took away the board’s power. Meanwhile, Disney argued the deals were approved out in the open during a public meeting.
Ingoglia, a Republican from Spring Hill, tacked the amendment onto SB 1604 on Tuesday morning, a day after Gov. DeSantis held a press conference threatening more measures against The Walt Disney Co. The Governor has targeted Disney for more than a year after the company spoke out against the Parental Rights in Education measure, which critics dub the “Don’t Say Gay” law.
DeSantis announced more legislative action against Disney, including efforts to open up the company to state ride inspectors when someone is hurt on a theme park ride, as well as making the monorail open to state inspections and standards.
DeSantis said the state-run Disney World governing board will take up other issues, from looking at affordable housing to possible pay raises for Disney World firefighters. One comment he made — suggesting land in Disney’s special district could be used to build a state prison — caught plenty of attention on social media.
His press conference in the shadow of Disney World became an opportunity for Republican lawmakers to bash the company for being woke and say they are leveling the playing field for Disney’s competitors.
“They have turned Disney into this corporate PR arm of a small group of extremists who want to indoctrinate our children with radical gender ideologies that have no basis in science, common sense, or basic human decency,” said Rep. Carolina Amesty, who lives in Windermere, while standing by DeSantis Monday. “In Florida, you do not get to indoctrinate our kids or write your own rules.”
11 comments
Corruption in Florida
April 18, 2023 at 1:24 pm
DeSantis needs to get out of politics like yesterday. And Floridians need to fire 70% of the Republicans that are in legislation right now.
they are literally turning Florida into the worst state in the country.
Blaise Ingolia is an f'ing moron
April 18, 2023 at 2:43 pm
This isn’t even his district.
Get back to work on things that matter, Blaise.
Dr. Franklin Waters
April 18, 2023 at 4:00 pm
Isn’t this the same clown who wanted to “Ban the Democratic Party” in Florida or something like that? LOL
Real smart guy here. Republicans sure do know how to pick ’em.
Bert Stimson
April 19, 2023 at 4:30 pm
Blaze Engorgio is one of the least educated and most underqualified members of the Florida senate.
Dont Say FLA
April 19, 2023 at 8:37 am
Trump promised people would tired of winning. That must have happened since they keep choosing for losing.
tom palmer
April 19, 2023 at 2:23 pm
I am told ex post facto laws are illegal. but Sen. Imbroglio obviously has a different view.
JD
April 19, 2023 at 2:35 pm
Do they really believe their own bullsh!t about “indoctrination”? I first thought that was a political shill to sound angry, but now I think they were dropped on their collective heads and believe their nonsense. Show us some evidence please?
NOBODY at Disney is trying to indoctrinate your children and I can tell you why. THEY ALREADY OWN YOU FROM CRADLE TO GRAVE. They own kids entertainment from 3+, adult entertainment, plus news. They don’t need to indoctrinate anything or have an agenda other than to make money.
Dumbasses. Florida Republicans are having a f@cking anti-hippy moment and want to abolish the “establishment” (but with much much less thought or integrity as hippies).
“It’s not the heat. It’s the stupidity”
Bert Stimson
April 19, 2023 at 4:28 pm
Just a reminder, Blaze is a college dropout who has no business making laws for anyone.
Keystone Keys
April 20, 2023 at 2:27 pm
Florida was around long before Walt Disney got tired of California and duped the Florida politicians of the day into surrendering governmental sovereignty to a corporation. Florida will survive and thrive. With, or without Disney.
Dont Say FLA
April 21, 2023 at 8:16 am
If GOP has their way with us and runs Disney off and actually builds that wall along the USA’s land border with Mexico, driving immigrants onto boats crossing the Gulf of Mexico, we will have barbed wire beaches for attracting the tourists with their dollars to burn, on books, I suppose. And Gatorland, I reckon. Gatorland is a great niche spot for a day off from the big box entertainment parks, but Gatorland is really going to bring in the hordes of tourists? I do love Gatorland, but the answer is “No.”
Rob Desantos
April 21, 2023 at 2:53 pm
Orlando was just a little military town before Disney, though, and Florida tourism was NOwhere near what Disney grew it into.
And Walt DIsney clearly never tired of California, as he lived there until his death and WDC HQ has remained in Burbank since 1940.
To sum up, you don’t know what you’re talking about.
Comments are closed.