FL Lawmakers Scrap Agreement Between Disney, Former Board

TALLAHASSEE, FL — Florida lawmakers on Thursday approved a proposal intended to nullify a controversial development agreement between Walt Disney Parks & Resorts and the company's previous board.

The vote came a week after the entertainment giant filed a lawsuit against Gov. Ron DeSantis and other state officials, accusing the governor of a "targeted campaign of government retaliation."

The Republican-controlled Senate voted 27-13 to approve a bill seeking to nullify what some critics called an "11th-hour agreement" between Disney and the former Reedy Creek Improvement District board.

The bill, SB 1604, passed the House of Representatives earlier this week. DeSantis signed the bill Friday, according to reports.

The proposed bill prohibits special districts from complying with some development agreements and gives the renamed and DeSantis-appointed Central Florida Tourism Oversight District the option to reconsider the agreement.

The legislation is the latest in a months-long feud between Florida's governor, the Republican-controlled legislature and the entertainment giant.

In February, lawmakers passed legislation allowing the state to take control of Disney World's independent special taxing district known as the Reedy Creek, which gave Disney World the right to self-govern its 25,000-acre footprint in Orange and Osceola counties.

The legislation renamed the Reedy Creek Improvement District to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District and gave DeSantis the power to select the five-person board.

The move by Florida lawmakers was primarily seen as retaliation for the entertainment giant publicly opposing Florida's Parental Rights in Education bill that bars instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.

In March, board members appointed by DeSantis learned Disney's previous board passed a 30-year agreement and restrictive covenants that made new members powerless to manage Disney's future growth in Florida, the Orlando Sentinel first reported.

Last week, the board appointed by DeSantis voted to nullify the agreement. Minutes later, Disney sued DeSantis, the five-member board, and other state officials in federal court, accusing DeSantis of orchestrating "every step" in a "targeted campaign of government retaliation."

• RELATED: Disney's Lawsuit Against Ron DeSantis: 5 Things To Know

DeSantis shrugged off the lawsuit during an overseas trip to Israel, calling it "politically motivated."

"They're upset because they're having to live by the same rules as everybody else. They don't want to pay the same taxes as everybody else, and they want to be able to control things without proper oversight," DeSantis said. "The days of putting one company on a pedestal with no accountability are over in the state of Florida."

Days later, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District voted unanimously to countersue Disney and defend itself in federal court.

"We will seek justice in our own backyard," said Martin Garcia, chair of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.

The Senate vote came a day after the House of Representatives passed HB 1305, a transportation bill targeting Walt Disney World's monorail. Under the bill, the state would create safety rules and oversee safety inspections, which Disney previously did.

The Senate passed the transportation bill Tuesday. It now heads to DeSantis for his signature.