Legislature to Pass New Maps, Dissolve Reedy Creek

The Republican-controlled Florida Senate quickly voted Wednesday to dissolve Disney World’s Reedy Creek Improvement District and to eliminate two racially selective congressional districts.

Both measures were pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Lawmakers originally came to Tallahassee on Tuesday to take up a congressional map drawn by DeSantis’ office after he vetoed two maps approved by the Legislature during the regular session.

But less than an hour before the special session began, he expanded it to include a bill dissolving Reedy Creek, which independently governs the Orlando resort, and another bill retracting a special carveout that protected Disney from liability in the so-called Big Tech law from 2021.

“If you vote for this you are voting for revenge governance and the most brutal form of cancel culture, and once again voting to pick up tab for legal challenges,” said Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton, of the bills. “What’s next? The governor threatened the board of directors of Twitter. What bill will magically appear in our next special session on property insurance?”

The House finished debating the three bills Wednesday afternoon and is expected to approve them Thursday, after which they’ll be sent to the governor for his signature.