Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis moved closer to taking over Walt Disney World's self-governing district Thursday after House Republicans approved legislation meant to punish the company over its opposition to the law critics have dubbed 'Don't Say Gay.'
The bill would leave the district intact but would change its name and require DeSantis to appoint a five-member governing board. Board members are currently named through entities controlled by Disney and are tasked with overseeing the government services the district provides in the company’s properties in Florida.
DeSantis moved quickly to retaliate against the company, directing lawmakers to dissolve the district during a special legislative session in April, beginning a closely watched restructuring process. “This bill sends a message from the governor to businesses in our state that if they dissent, they will be punished,” said Rep. Rita Harris, a Democrat. “And this is chilling. It’s not just chilling to me, it’s chilling to freedom of speech.”
The creation of the Reedy Creek Improvement District, as the Disney government is currently known, was instrumental in Disney’s decision to build near Orlando in the 1960s, when company leaders told the state they planned to build a futuristic city - the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, also known as Epcot.
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