By Anthony Izaguirre The Associated Press
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, signed a law Monday that gives him control over the autonomous district of Walt Disney World, thus punishing the company for opposing the law known as “Don’t Say Gay.”
The special district, created by a 1967 state law, allows Disney to manage the collection of taxes and the provision of police and emergency medical services at its theme parks, which employ tens of thousands of workers in Florida and are visited by millions. of people from all over the country each year.
DeSantis must now appoint a five-member commission to oversee public services in that Florida district of Orlando where Disney operates its theme parks. “Today the corporate kingdom finally comes to an end,” DeSantis said at the signing ceremony in Lake Buena Vista. “There is a new sheriff in charge and accountability will be the order of the day,” he added.
DeSantis signs the bill as he appears to prepare for his 2024 presidential run, marking a high-profile legislative triumph for a governor whose struggles over cultural and political issues have made him a prominent leader among Republicans.
Your book The Courage to be Free (in Spanish, la valencia de ser libre) is released this Tuesday, and De Santis continues to raise his profile nationally and raise funds with political rallies across the country.
The rule change over the Disney park district was triggered last year when the company publicly opposed a law that prohibits discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, or teaching lessons deemed inappropriate. by the authorities.
DeSantis quickly sought to punish the company, asking the conservative-majority state Congress to dissolve the Disney Autonomous District in a special legislative session last year, initiating a closely watched restructuring process.
In February, DeSantis called on lawmakers to deal again with Disney and entrench state control of the district in another hastily called legislative session that demonstrated the governor’s willingness to use his power to further political goals, a strategy likely to continue for months to come. while DeSantis pushes his potential election campaign.