Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a news conference at MVP Appliances in Ocala, Fla. Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023 to announce family-focused tax relief for Florida residents. DeSantis also touched on Disney and how they will be no longer be self governing "because there's a new sheriff in town." (Doug Engle/Ocala Star-Banner via AP) Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Paul Renner, left, speaks during a press conference that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, back, held to announce family-focused tax relief for Florida residents, Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in Ocala, Fla. DeSantis spoke about Disney and how they will be no longer self governing "because there's a new sheriff in town." (Doug Engle/Ocala Star-Banner via AP) Brittnay Morley, right, a mother who lives in Ocala, talked about how the tax relief will help her family during Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' press conference announcing family-focused tax relief for Florida residents, Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in Ocala, Fla. DeSantis also spoke about Disney and how they will be no longer self governing "because there's a new sheriff in town." (Doug Engle/Ocala Star-Banner via AP) The Florida Capitol rotunda is abuzz with people during the Special Session Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023 in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Sears) Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks at a press conference in Ocala, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, to announce family-focused tax relief for Florida residents. DeSantis also touched on Disney and how they will be no longer be self governing "because there's a new sheriff in town," he said. (Doug Engle/Ocala Star-Banner via AP) A sign near the entrance of the Reedy Creek Improvement District administration building is seen Monday, Feb. 6, 2023, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Disney’s government in Florida was the envy of any private business, giving it unprecedented powers in deciding what and how to build at Walt Disney World. Those days are numbered as a new bill released in early February 2023 puts the entertainment giant’s district firmly in the control of Florida’s governor and legislative leaders. (AP Photo/John Raoux) Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, looks on, on the Senate floor at the Capitol, Monday, Feb. 6, 2023, in Tallahassee, Fla. Florida legislators are meeting in a two-week special session to take up a list of issues proposed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. (AP Photo/Phil Sears) Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, answers a question about his Senate Bill 6B - Transportation of Inspected Unauthorized Aliens Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. The bill passed 27-12. (AP Photo/Phil Sears) At right, Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton asks a question of Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill about his Senate Bill 6B - Transportation of Inspected Unauthorized Aliens Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023 at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. The bill passed 27-12. (AP Photo/Phil Sears) CORRECTS BILL TALLY TO 27-12, NOT 17-12 - State Sen. Jonathan Martin, R-Fort Myers closes on his Senate Bill 4B - Statewide Prosecutor, Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023 at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. The bill passed the Senate 27-12. (AP Photo/Phil Sears) Sen. Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, gestures as he recognizes University of South Florida students and their mascot, Rocky the Bull, in the gallery on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023 at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Sears) Rep. Anna V. Eskamani, D-Orlando, questions Rep. Fred Hawkins, R-St. Cloud about his House Bill 9B – Reedy Creek Improvement District, Orange and Osceola Counties in the State Affairs Committee meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Sears) State Sen. Bobby Powell, D-West Palm Beach, speaks in opposition to Senate Bill 4B - Statewide Prosecutor, Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023 at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Sears) State Sens. Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula and. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota confer during debate on Senate Bill 4B - Statewide Prosecutor, Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023 at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Sears) State Sen. Geraldine Thompson, D-Orlando ,speaks in opposition to Senate Bill 4B - Statewide Prosecutor, Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023 at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Sears) Rep. Anna V. Eskamani, D-Orlando questions Rep. Fred Hawkins, R-St. Cloud, about his House Bill 9B – Reedy Creek Improvement District, Orange and Osceola Counties in the State Affairs Committee meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Sears) University of South Florida mascot Rocky the Bull is recognized in the Senate gallery as he watches the legislative process with some of his their students on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Sears) Rep. Fred Hawkins, R-St. Cloud, smiles as he is congratulated after his House Bill 9B – Reedy Creek Improvement District, Orange and Osceola Counties favorably reported out of the State Affairs Committee meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Sears) Rep. Fred Hawkins, R-St. Cloud, closes on his House Bill 9B – Reedy Creek Improvement District, Orange and Osceola Counties in the State Affairs Committee meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Sears) Rep. Jason Shoaf, R-Port St. Joe discusses his House Bill 13B – Eastpoint Water and Sewer District, Franklin County in the State Affairs Committee meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Sears) University of South Florida mascot Rocky the Bull receives applause after being recognized in the Senate gallery in the Florida Senate Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023 at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Sears) Visitors check out Tampa General Hospital's helicopter during "We Are TGH Day" Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023 at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Sears) Visitors check out Tampa General Hospital's helicopter during "We Are TGH Day" Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023 at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Sears) Visitors check out Tampa General Hospital's helicopter during "We Are TGH Day" Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023 at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Sears) Jason Weida, Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary speaks Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023 during Florida Behavioral Health Day at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Sears) Florida Association of Managing Entities CEO Natalie Kelly speaks Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023 during Florida Behavioral Health Day at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Sears) A general view of the Old Capitol and current Florida Capitol buildings Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023 in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Sears) Florida Association of Managing Entities CEO Natalie Kelly speaks Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023 during Florida Behavioral Health Day at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Sears) Jason Weida, Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary speaks Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023 during Florida Behavioral Health Day at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Sears) Rep. Sam Garrison, R-Fleming Island speaks Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023 during Florida Behavioral Health Day at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Sears)
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida lawmakers advanced proposals on Wednesday to strip Disney of its self-governing status, expand a controversial migrant transportation program and strengthen prosecutions tied to the state’s election police unit.
The bills, part of a hastily called special legislative session in the GOP-controlled statehouse, are key priorities of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis as he focuses on cultural issues ahead of his expected 2024 White House run.
Republicans in a House state affairs committee approved legislation to complete the state takeover of Walt Disney World’s Reedy Creek Improvement District. The measures come as the governor punishes the company over its opposition to a law critics call “Don't Say Gay,” which bars instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade and lessons deemed not age-appropriate.
The proposal would leave much of the district intact, including its financial obligations, but would rename it to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District and require DeSantis to appoint a five-member governing board. Board members previously were named through entities controlled by Disney.
“This is obliviously now going to be controlled by the state of Florida, which is no longer self-governing for them," DeSantis said at a news conference Wednesday. “So, there’s a new sheriff in town, and that’s just the way its going to be.”
Having a separate government allows the Disney district to issue bonds and provide zoning, fire protection, utilities and infrastructure services on its land. Republican opponents of the district argue it gives Disney a commercial advantage unavailable to others.
Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani said the governor would have too much control over the district when he appoints board members and labeled the takeover as a power grab.
“I often see this as a low security prison that the company is operating within, where they can pretty much do what they want to do, but if they go off course, they’ll be punished,” she said. “And when you have one official — the governor — appoint board members, it’s not designed to be balanced. It’s designed to pursue what his political motivations and values are.”
The Disney district legislation now moves to the full House.
Also on Wednesday, Republicans in the full Senate and the House judiciary committee passed separate bills to further DeSantis’ agenda on immigration and voter fraud.
One proposal would create the Unauthorized Alien Transport Program in the governor’s administration to relocate migrants within the country if they have been processed by the federal government.
The program would further a DeSantis initiative to relocate migrants that began last year when the Republican used taxpayer dollars to fly about 50 South American migrants from Texas to the Massachusetts resort island of Martha’s Vineyard in protest of federal immigration policy.
The flight to Martha’s Vineyard, in addition to drawing condemnation, led to legal questions because the governor’s office paid for the trip using money intended to transport migrants who were in Florida, not Texas or any other state. The bill lawmakers are considering specifies that future flights could move migrants from anywhere in the U.S.
The bill’s Senate sponsor, Republican Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, has said the program would help migrants by taking them to liberal, so-called “sanctuary cities.”
“The state of Florida is not, and never will be, a sanctuary state,” he said. “It's time for those sanctuary cities to put their money where their mouth is.”
Democrats have heavily criticized the governor's migrant flight program and argued Wednesday that DeSantis was making political pawns out of migrants.
“I don't know why we are singling them out, we are making them feel uncomfortable,” said Sen. Lori Berman, a Democrat. “It's basically a political ploy that we are doing here in the state of Florida.”
The other proposal would make clear that the statewide prosecutor has authority to prosecute election crimes in federal and state races, legislation meant to strengthen the power of the governor’s new election police unit.
DeSantis pushed lawmakers last year to create a law enforcement unit focused on election crimes, addressing a concern of conservative voters after the 2020 election. But in the months since, some of the unit’s charges have been dismissed by judges because of jurisdiction issues.
The measures still face additional legislative hearings before they reach final passage, though they are expected to pass the statehouse.
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AP writer Curt Anderson contributed from St. Petersburg.
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