BELOW SUPERNAV drop zone ⇩

Disney, DeSantis-backed board reach settlement agreement

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

ovp test

mLife Diagnostics LLC: Oral Fluid Drug Testing

Male shot by female at Shreveport apartment

Class to create biodiverse backyard

Rules for outbursts at Caddo School Board Meeting

(The Hill) — Disney and the state of Florida have reached a settlement agreement in their lawsuit about who controls Walt Disney World’s governing district, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board announced Wednesday.

Members of the board approved the settlement agreement, ending the nearly two years of litigation that were originally sparked by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signing of a law limiting instruction on gender identity and sexuality in classrooms. Critics had dubbed it the “Don’t Say Gay” law.

Disney and DeSantis have been engaged in a feud since the company publicly opposed the law and DeSantis stripped Disney of the special status it had for decades, which gave it self-governing power over the Reedy Creek Improvement District.

DeSantis signed a bill in February 2023 ending Disney’s self-governing status and allowing the district to be controlled by the state. The governor’s office then could appoint a five-member board to govern the district.

Disney claimed DeSantis and the state of Florida violated the company’s First Amendment rights by using government power to retaliate against its opposition and filed a lawsuit last April.

The agreement reached Wednesday stipulates that development plans approved by the previous board before DeSantis took over would be “null and void.” Disney has also agreed to dismiss a separate state case involving public records.

The federal case that Disney has filed against the district is “on appeal now” to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, the board said.

The Hill has reached out to Disney for comment, but Jeff Vahle, the president of Walt Disney World Resort, told The Associated Press that the company was pleased a settlement had been reached.

“This agreement opens a new chapter of constructive engagement with the new leadership of the district and serves the interests of all parties by enabling significant continued investment and the creation of thousands of direct and indirect jobs and economic opportunity in the state,” his statement said.

The Hill has also reached out to DeSantis’s office for comment on the agreement.

Southeast

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

MAIN AREA MIDDLE drop zone ⇩

Trending on NewsNation

MAIN AREA BOTTOM drop zone ⇩

tt

KC Chiefs parade shooting: 1 dead, 21 shot including 9 kids | Morning in America

Witness of Chiefs parade shooting describes suspect | Banfield

Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting: Mom of 2 dead, over 20 shot | Banfield

WWE star Ashley Massaro 'threatened' by board to keep quiet about alleged rape: Friend | Banfield

Friend of WWE star: Ashley Massaro 'spent hours' sobbing after alleged rape | Banfield

Clear

la

55°F Clear Feels like 54°
Wind
4 mph NW
Humidity
53%
Sunrise
Sunset

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low 49F. Winds light and variable.
49°F Mainly clear. Low 49F. Winds light and variable.
Wind
4 mph NNE
Precip
1%
Sunset
Moon Phase
Waning Crescent