Disney pauses political donations in Florida over state’s parental rights bill

The Walt Disney Company on Friday announced that it would suspend political donations in the state of Florida amid controversy over the state’s passage of a parental rights bill, one that critics have falsely claimed implements a “Don’t Say Gay” rule in education there.

Florida has been mired in controversy in recent weeks after it passed a bill that expanded educational transparency for parents in the state as well as forbid the instruction of LGBTQ ideology in grades kindergarten through third. 

Pursuant to this law, company CEO Bob Chapek wrote in a letter on Friday that the company was “pausing all political donations in the state of Florida” pending the development of “a new framework for [the company’s] political giving that will ensure our advocacy better reflects our values.”

Chapek had previously declined to come out strongly against the parental rights bill, something he apologized for in the letter. 

“You needed me to be a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights and I let you down,” he claimed. “I am sorry.”