Senate approves state safety inspections for Disney monorail
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – The Florida Senate approved 26-14 a bill that would require the state complete safety inspections for Walt Disney World’s monorail system.
Sen. Nick DiCeglie, R-St. Petersburg, proposed an amendment to a transportation bill that would adopt minimum safety standards for privately owned fixed-guideway transportation systems operating within an independent special district.
The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District encompasses Disney World.
“It is my view that when we have a monorail system that carries 150,000 riders a day, I think it is appropriate for the state for the Florida Department of Transportation to oversee the safety standards for that particular mode of transportation,” DiCeglie said.
He said the state would also have oversight over the Guideway Transportation System at the Orlando International Airport monorail system.
However, Democrats pressed Republicans on whether Disney had done anything wrong with their monorail system in the last several decades.
“That’s a really great reason why we should all support this amendment. We don’t know,” DiCeglie said as he pointed to the audits and records that would come out of the bill passing.
DiCeglie referenced one death at Disney’s monorail in 2009.
Democrats and Republicans went back and forth on the intent of the legislation on the floor.
“This is another personal grudge. It’s not what we should be doing,” Sen. Jason Pizzo, D-Hollywood, said. “I don’t think it makes economic sense and I don’t think it’s what we should be doing.”
Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton, referenced the ongoing back-and-forth between Disney and the new Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.
“This is not how we should govern. It is pure malpractice to take the political aspirations of the governor because his feelings were hurt, it was embarrassing that Reedy Creek beat him out,” Polsky said. “And now we’re going after the monorail.”
Sen. Debbie Mayfield, R-Melbourne, reiterated what many Republicans had said before- that the legislature’s intention is to put Disney on the “same playing field” as other companies in the state.
“We love Disney. We want Disney to stay. This is not about attacking Disney as people have said. It’s the fact of the matter is they had authority, more authority than Universal Studios had, than SeaWorld has, or any other amusement park has in the Orlando area or in the state of Florida.”
Two Republicans, Sen. Erin Grall, R-Fort Pierce, and Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, voted against the bill.
The bill will be sent back to the House for final approval.
