Three Republican state lawmakers walked out of a vote to repeal Governor Ron DeSantis’ takeover of Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District on Wednesday.
What’s Happening:
- The Orlando Sentinel reports that Senators Jason Brodeur and Dennis Baxley, along with Representative Doug Bankson, left the Orange County delegation meeting on Wednesday moments before a vote on restoring Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District.
- The walk out left the delegation to lose its quorum, meaning the 7-0 vote to advance the bill was deemed invalid.
- The lawmakers who walked out stated they were upset over how leadership is chosen within the delegation.
- To start, the meeting of 14 members had three Republican lawmakers and one Democrat lawmaker absent from the meeting.
- While the bill faces an uphill climb in Tallahassee with a GOP legislature and a possible DeSantis veto, Senator Linda Stewart says that she’s not “discouraged” and that the delegation plans to bring it up again next week.
What They’re Saying:
- “It’s disrespectful to the staff who spent hours preparing for this meeting and to the more than 100 members of the public who signed up to speak. I can only assume this was less about delegation rules and more about Republican lawmakers not wanting to take a vote on restoring Reedy Creek.” – Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani
More Reedy Creek Improvement District News:
- Proposed Bill Seeks To Undo DeSantis Takeover Of Reedy Creek Improvement District
- Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Fires Multiple Staffers
- Disney Claims DeSantis' Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Is "Dragging Their Feet" Providing Requested Documents In Lawsuit
- Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Employees To Receive $3000 Stipend To Replace Disney Park Admission Perks
- Disney CEO Bob Iger Says Company Will "Quiet The Noise" In Ongoing Culture War