Republican leaders of the statehouse, in coordination with Governor DeSantis, ordered the legislature to convene in a special session to restructure the Reedy Creek Improvement
Florida lawmakers met Monday to begin a state takeover of Walt Disney World’s self-governing district and expand a migrant relocation program, key conservative priorities of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis ahead of his expected White House run.
Lawmakers will also consider a proposal to create a state department focused on migrant transportation, after the governor flew a group of South American migrants from Texas to Massachusetts last year in protest of federal border policy.
The session continues a focus by DeSantis focus on social issues including sexual orientation, gender and immigration as the Republican governor wades into political divides on his path to a potential 2024 presidential run.
The meeting is the latest development in a high-profile feud between DeSantis and Disney over the company’s criticism of a law dubbed by critics as “Don’t Say Gay,” which bars instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade and lessons deemed not age appropriate.
The governor, in going after Disney, displayed a willingness to penalize one of the state’s biggest employers and political donors, reinforcing the combative leadership style that has propelled him to national political stardom and appeals to conservative primary voters.
The Disney legislation would rename the district from Reedy Creek to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District and require the governor to appoint a five-member oversight board. The 189-page bill was released publicly minutes before the Senate opened the session.
In addition to Disney, DeSantis is using the special session to advance his national agenda on immigration and election fraud.
Lawmakers are expected to create the Unauthorized Alien Transport Program in the governor’s administration to transport migrants within the country if the migrants have been processed by the federal government.
The legislation comes after DeSantis last year used part of a $12 million fund, paid for by taxpayers, to fly about 50 South American migrants from Texas to the Massachusetts resort island of Martha’s Vineyard, drawing widespread condemnation.
The flight also led to legal questions because the governor’s office paid for the trip using money intended to transport migrants out of Florida, not Texas or any other state. The bill lawmakers will consider specifies that future flights could move migrants from anywhere in the U.S.