Florida House passes bill to overhaul Disney’s Reedy Creek

This is a developing story.

Amber Jo Cooper contributed to this report.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – The Florida House approved legislation to remake Disney’s Reedy Creek board in an effort to ensure that the company’s debts are not passed down to local taxpayers. 

The legislation allows Gov. Ron DeSantis to appoint members, who are confirmed by the Senate, to the district’s board. Rep. Fred Hawkins, St. Cloud, sponsored the legislation.

The Reedy Creek Improvement District will also be renamed the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.

The changes strip Disney of its control over the district, ultimately doing away with many of the company’s self-governing powers.

There are 57 districts in Florida with appointments by the governor and the Central Florida district would be the only one with a Senate confirmation.

Last year, lawmakers passed legislation to dissolve Disney’s Reedy Creek district. However, Republican leadership called lawmakers into a Special Session this week in an effort to make sure Disney’s estimated $700 million in debts would not be dropped to the taxpayers once the district dissolved.

Republicans said the newly-appointed district would ensure the company pays its debts. 

The governor’s office said the bill will end Disney’s ability to; build airports, nuclear facilities, toll roads, boundary changes to their property, award noncompetitive construction contracts, and more.

Rep. Randy Fine, R-South Brevard County, said it is “simply bad public policy, to allow a private company to have the right to take anyone’s property in the state of Florida – that they want.”

“That is a right that the Walt Disney Company has today they can come and literally take your house away,” Fine explained.

“What we’re doing is solving a problem and what’s remarkable about this debate is many of the voices who oppose this idea now have been saying this for decades. They just don’t like the reason that we may have the political will to make these changes today.”

Democrats throughout committee and floor debate advocated for people from the local area to be appointed to the district’s board. The bill sponsor had previously said in committee that the district had statewide implications and therefore needed to focus on appointees outside of the local area. 

Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, said the board is being “taken over” by Gov. Ron DeSantis and advocated for local voices on the board. Eskamani proposed an amendment that was shot down by Republicans. 

“It does not make sense that that structure be driven by one individual who we all know was mad at Disney last year because this company expressed first amendment rights and defended LGBTQ people,” Eskamani said. 

The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.