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Credit: Inside the MagicGovernor Ron DeSantis has vetoed a bill that would have cracked down on rowdy Disney World Guests, instead saying it is not a “one-size-fits-all issue” and all but encouraging vacationers in Florida to continue to flout local laws.
Governor DeSantis has been on a bill-signing streak in the last several months, signing literally dozens of pieces of legislation into law, despite his reputation as an anti-Big Government crusader.
Many critics of the far-right politician posit that DeSantis is trying to repair his reputation after his presidential run embarrassingly sputtered after months of campaigning in non-Florida states. Regardless, he appears to be trying to get as many new laws on the books as he can before he exits office and is prevented by term limits from running for the governorship again for years.
In his recent efforts, Ron DeSantis has signed laws that effectively criminalize homelessness, allow Florida residents to kill black bears with impunity, and give hundreds of millions of dollars to Disney-related projects, like the refurbishment of the I-4 Highway outside of the Walt Disney World Resort.
It appears that Governor DeSantis is helping the Mouse in another way: vetoing a House bill that would have allowed Florida state authorities to crack down on rowdy vacationers, the overwhelming majority of which come to the state for Disney World trips (per Tallahassee Democrat).
Related: Ron DeSantis Bans Balloons at Disney World
Governor DeSantis has used his executive veto to block SB 280, which would have, in essence, canceled city and county regulations regarding vacation rentals approved since 2016. The authority to regulate vacation rentals (a huge source of tourism revenue for Florida and a key factor for Disney Guests) would have then gone to the state, which is to say, ultimately, DeSantis himself.
It could be argued that by blocking SB 280 and allowing city and town governments to continue to regulate vacationers, Governor DeSantis is sidestepping having to personally be involved in a matter that would eventually cause him to butt heads with Disney once more.
Certainly, it is notable that DeSantis chose not to grant himself more power, which is unusual for his track record of stripping authority from cities, towns, schools, theme parks, tax districts, protestors, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
In a letter, Governor DeSantis explains his veto as being necessary because vacation rentals “are far from uniform across the various regions of the state” and that “going forward, I encourage the Florida Legislature and all key stakeholders to work together, with the understanding that vacation rentals should not be approached as a one-size-fits-all issue.”
Related: Multitude of Disney World Guests To Be Impacted by New Florida Driving Law
Regulations and market issues do indeed vary from location to location in a state, which has rarely stopped DeSantis from stepping in before, but it appears the valuable vacation rental market is a little different.
However, it is undeniable that there is a vacation rental crisis in Florida; many small towns find themselves overwhelmed by rowdy tourists and Disney Guests and unable to deal with a confusing morass of local regulations and ordinances (per WFLA).
Indian Rocks Beach resident John Pfanstiehl complains that vacation rentals have become a huge issue in residential neighborhoods, saying, “A once peaceful safe neighborhood… turned into an unregulated and unsupervised hotel party district.”
At least for now, Governor DeSantis is washing his hands of the issue and telling towns, vacation rental owners, and Disney Guests that they have to figure out partying on their own.
Read the full text of Governor DeSantis’ veto letter here:
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