TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida Legislature wrapped up a special session Friday passing bills to allow Gov. Ron DeSantis to take over Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District and fix previous actions that have led to lawsuits and charges being dismissed against people accused of voter fraud.
The Senate voted 26-9 to approve a bill giving DeSantis the power to appoint the five-member Reedy Creek Improvement District and change its name to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District to more accurately reflect its function, said state Sen. Travis Hutson, who shepherded the House bill through the Senate.
“I don’t think this is hostile takeover over a private company,” Hutson, a Palm Coast Republican, said, addressing concerns raised by Democratic lawmakers that this is a power grab by DeSantis. “The governor can put anyone on the board he thinks is qualified. They are going to have really intelligent, really brilliant people on this board who make sure they do what they are supposed to do.”
