Florida Governor Ron DeSantis appointees will seek to overhaul Disney World’s governing body with proposals to eliminate a planning board and ban mask mandates and COVID-19 vaccination requirements amid a standoff between the Republican governor and society.
The five new board members, who were vetted by Disney until February, have rules on their meeting agenda that prohibit anyone from not wearing a mask or having the COVID vaccine. -19 to enter their offices. .
Additionally, the agenda includes a resolution affirming the board’s “superior authority” over the district that covers all 27,000 acres of Disney World, including two small towns.
The agenda also indicates a possible reorganization of administration staff with job descriptions listed for the governing body administrator and other key staff positions.
Disney World needed masks and had social distancing protocols in place in 2020 when it reopened after several months of closure in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19.
DeSantis has been a vocal opponent of vaccine and virus mask mandates and has asked the state Supreme Court to convene a grand jury to investigate “any wrongdoing” regarding COVID-19 vaccines.
Wednesday’s meeting agenda continues a battle between potential presidential candidate DeSantis and Republican state lawmakers against Disney that began last year when the entertainment giant publicly opposed it. which critics call state “Don’t Say Gay” legislation that prohibits school teaching about sexual orientation. and gender identity from kindergarten to third grade.
In retaliation, Florida lawmakers passed and DeSantis signed legislation that reorganized the Disney World corporation-controlled government, allowing the governor to appoint the five members of the board of supervisors. Disney had previously controlled the board during its 55-year existence.
Last month, new DeSantis appointees claimed their Disney-controlled predecessors were quick to strip the new board of most powers and give Disney control of design and construction. of the theme park before the new members can take their places.
DeSantis and state lawmakers at a Monday press conference further ratcheted up the pressure by proposing upcoming legislation that would require state inspections of Disney attractions, a move unprecedented since top operators Florida theme parks were able to conduct their own inspections.
Lawmakers also planned to consider a move that would revoke the agreement between former board supervisors and Disney. Republican State Senator Blaise Ingoglia said he has a message for Disney: “You’re not going to win this fight.”
Disney said all agreements made with the previous board were legal and approved in a public forum.
Disney CEO Bob Iger said earlier this month that any action against the company that threatened jobs or the expansion of its Florida resort was not just “anti-business” but “anti-business.” -Florida”.