Ron DeSantis takes control of Disney governing district after ‘Don’t Say Gay’ row: ‘There’s a new sheriff in town’

Florida governor Ron DeSantis took control of Disney‘s governing district in the state on Monday, following a row over his ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law.

DeSantis – a Republican widely tipped for a US Presidential run in 2024 – signed in the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, also known as the ‘Don’t Say Gay, Don’t Say Trans’ bill, in March 2022.

The law prohibits classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity from kindergarten to grade three in Florida public school districts. It also prohibits instruction on sexuality and gender that is not what it calls “age appropriate or developmentally appropriate” in any grade.

The Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) is the governing jurisdiction and special taxing district for the roughly 25,000-acre Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Disney has four theme parks in the state.

Florida-based staff at Disney staged a walkout in protest of ‘Don’t Say Gay’ last March. Disney reps also released a statement opposing the law.

Now, a new bill signed in by DeSantis on Monday authorises him and a self-appointed five-member board to oversee the government services the Disney district provides.

Reedy Creek has held these special powers – handling matters such as fire services and waste collection – for over 50 years.

“There’s a new sheriff in town”

Speaking at a press event at Lake Buena Vista near Orlando, this week, DeSantis said: “The corporate kingdom finally comes to an end – there’s a new sheriff in town. And accountability will be the order of the day.”

DeSantis furthermore continued: “We have a situation here that was basically indefensible from a policy perspective.

“How do you give one theme park its own government and then treat all the other theme parks differently? We believe that that was not good policy.”

DeSantis warned the aforementioned board would stage a meeting next week. “They will be in charge during that board meeting, so buckle up,” he said.

As per the BBC, board appointees include Martin Garcia, a Tampa lawyer and Republican donor, plus Bridget Ziegler, co-founder of conservative organisation Moms for Liberty and wife of Christian Ziegler, Republican Party of Florida chairman.

Reedy Creek has also been renamed the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.

At the time of writing, Disney had not yet responded to the new bill.