Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Tuesday said that the state's legislature will consider terminating the special status of a municipal district operated by Walt Disney Co., the Wall Street Journal reports.
Why it matters: It's an escalation in the weeks-long feud between the Republican governor and Disney over the state's controversial Parental Rights in Education Law — dubbed by critics the "Don't Say Gay" law.
Driving the news: "We are expanding the call of what [the state legislature] will be considering this week," DeSantis said, per Bloomberg. "They also will be considering termination of all special districts that were enacted in Florida prior to 1968, and that includes the Reedy Creek Improvement District."
- The Reedy Creek Improvement District was created in 1967 to allow Disney to carry out municipal functions of its own, Bloomberg notes.
- DeSantis also said Tuesday that he wants lawmakers to eliminate an exemption passed last year that banned social media companies from blocking political candidates from their networks.
In addition to congressional reapportionment, this week's special session will include termination of legacy special districts and removal of exemptions from the big tech accountability law. pic.twitter.com/67sF4E113I
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) April 19, 2022
The big picture: Disney last month came out in opposition to DeSantis's law, which bans classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity for students in kindergarten through third grade.
- In response, DeSantis suggested that he would support stripping Disney of a special status that allows it to operate as an independent government in the area around its Orlando theme park.
Florida legislature is expected to meet this week.
Go deeper ... Disney's political drama
