>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, AS THE JANUARY 6TH COMMITTEE HOLDS PUBLIC HEARINGS, A LOOK AT HOW FLORIDA'S THE STATE WITH THE MOST PEOPLE CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH THE US CAPITOL RIOT.

AS THE CDC RAISES ITS COVID-19 RISK LEVEL TO HIGH FOR CENTRAL FLORIDA, ARE BUSINESSES PREPARED FOR FUTURE WAVES?

AND THE FLORIDA TRAVEL INDUSTRY WELCOMES THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S MOVE TO LIFT COVID TESTING RESTRICTIONS FOR PEOPLE TRAVELING TO THE UNITED STATES.

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO, I'M STEVE MORT AND WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT, WHERE WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG STORIES IMPACTING CENTRAL FLORIDA AND HOW THEY AFFECT ALL OF US.

JOINING US THIS WEEK IN THE STUDIO, COMING BACK TO THE PROGRAM, INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST RENATA SAGO.

THANK YOU FOR COMING IN, RENATA.

>>THANK YOU.

>>AND ERIK SANDOVAL FROM WKMG CHANNEL SIX.

THANK YOU, ERIK, FOR BEING HERE.

>>OF COURSE.

>>APPRECIATE IT, GUYS.

FIRST TONIGHT, THE PUBLIC HEARINGS OF THE JANUARY 6TH COMMITTEE INVESTIGATING THE RIOT AT THE US CAPITOL.

NEWSNIGHT REACHED OUT TO SEVERAL MEMBERS OF CONGRESS FROM CENTRAL FLORIDA TO GET THEIR THOUGHTS ON THE HEARINGS.

AND I SPOKE EARLIER THIS WEEK WITH DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN DARREN SOTO.

>>THEY'RE STRINGING TOGETHER ALL THESE STORIES AND FACTS THAT WE'VE SEEN COME OUT OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF SO THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE CAN SEE WHAT HAPPENED.

SO THIS IS LAYING OUT THE CASE FOR ALL AMERICANS TO UNDERSTAND HOW CLOSE OUR DEMOCRACY CAME TO BEING OVERTHROWN ON JANUARY 6TH.

>>CONGRESSMAN, HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO REPUBLICAN CRITICISM THAT THIS IS A PARTISAN PANEL THAT JUST WANTS TO SMEAR THE FORMER PRESIDENT?

>>IT HAS TWO REPUBLICANS ON IT ALREADY, AND YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THE HISTORY.

WE IN THE HOUSE VOTED ON A INDEPENDENT COMMISSION.

WE PASSED THAT IN THE HOUSE WITH SOME BIPARTISAN SUPPORT, INCLUDING THE PROBLEM SOLVERS CAUCUS THAT I'M A MEMBER OF.

BUT WHEN THAT BILL WENT TO THE SENATE, REPUBLICAN LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL BLOCKED THE BILL, REFUSED TO ALLOW IT TO HAPPEN, AND DIDN'T WANT TO DO ANY FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THE CLOSEST OVERTHROW AND THE BIGGEST ATTACK ON WASHINGTON SINCE THE WAR OF 1812.

>>I WONDER WHAT YOU MAKE OF THE CHAIRMAN'S POSITION THAT IT'S NOT THE COMMITTEE'S JOB TO MAKE A REFERRAL TO THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT?

>>YOU DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE TO MAKE AN OFFICIAL ACT OF REFERRING A CRIMINAL RECOMMENDATION.

HOWEVER, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO THAT SHOULD THAT BE THE FACTS AT THE END OF THEIR CASE.

EITHER WAY THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT IS FAMILIAR WITH ALL THE FACTS BEING PRESENTED.

THERE WAS REVELATION IN THE FIRST HEARING THAT THERE IS COORDINATION BETWEEN THE US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND THE COMMITTEE WITH REGARD TO CERTAIN WITNESSES AND TESTIMONY AND SOME HAVE UNCOVERED THINGS THAT THE OTHERS HAVE NOT.

SO WHETHER THERE'S A FORMAL REQUEST OR NOT, THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAS A DUTY IF THE FACTS ARE THERE TO MAKE AN INDICTMENT.

>>WELL, WE ALSO EMAILED THE OFFICES OF FOUR CENTRAL FLORIDA REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMEN TO INVITE THEM TO DISCUSS THE HEARINGS, BUT WE DID NOT HEAR BACK BY DEADLINE.

>>WELL, FLORIDA IS HOME TO MORE PEOPLE CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH THE EVENTS OF LAST YEAR THAN ANY OTHER STATE.

BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT ALL THIS, I WANT TO PLAY YOU A PIECE THAT ERIK FILED LAST WEEK FROM WASHINGTON ON THE FIRST HEARING.

>>THE JANUARY 6TH COMMITTEE SHOWED THIS VIDEO WHICH THEY SAY SHOWS THE NATIONAL LEADERS OF THE PROUD BOYS AND OATH KEEPERS MEETING AT A WASHINGTON DC PARKING GARAGE ON THE NIGHT OF JANUARY 5TH.

THE NEXT DAY- >>YEAH, JUST FOR AWARENESS, BE ADVISED, THERE'S PROBABLY ABOUT 300 PROUD BOYS.

THEY'RE MARCHING EASTBOUND.

>>A LARGE CONTINGENT OF PROUD BOYS GATHERED AT THE CAPITOL.

>>WE LOVE TRUMP.

WE LOVE TRUMP.

WE LOVE TRUMP.

>>COMMITTEE MEMBERS CLAIM THAT CONTINGENT WAS PARTIALLY LED BY JOSEPH BIGGS OF ORMOND BEACH.

THE VIDEO WAS SHOT BY FILMMAKER NICK QUESTED.

>>THE ATMOSPHERE WAS, IT SEEMED TO BE MUCH DARKER.

I MAKE EFFORTS TO CREATE A FAMILIARITY BETWEEN MYSELF AND MY SUBJECTS TO MAKE THEM FEEL COMFORTABLE, AND THE ATMOSPHERE WAS MUCH DARKER THIS DAY THAN HAD BEEN IN THESE OTHER DAYS.

>>PRIORITY, WE JUST HAD PROTESTERS BREACH CIRCLE, BREACH THE LINE.

WE NEED BACKUP.

>>THE COMMITTEE CLAIMS BIGGS AND THE PROUD BOYS THEN INCITED THE CROWD TO VIOLENCE, STORMING THROUGH THE BARRICADES AND GETTING INSIDE THE CAPITOL BUILDING.

THE FOOTAGE OF THE VIOLENCE BROUGHT SOME OF THE CAPITOL POLICE OFFICERS WHO WERE AT THE HEARING TO TEARS.

THE COMMITTEE THEN TURNED ITS ATTENTION BRIEFLY TO THE OATH KEEPERS.

>>THE COMMITTEE LEARNED THAT THE OATH KEEPERS WENT INTO THE CAPITOL THROUGH THE EAST DOORS IN TWO STACK FORMATIONS.

THE DOJ ALLEGES THAT ONE OF THE STACKS WENT INTO THE CAPITOL LOOKING FOR SPEAKER PELOSI, ALTHOUGH THEY NEVER FOUND HER.

>>PROSECUTORS SAY AMONG THE MEMBERS IN THOSE STACKS WERE KENNETH HARRELSON OF TITUSVILLE AND KELLY MEGGS OF DUNNELLON.

IN FACT, COMMITTEE MEMBERS SAY MEGGS HELPED RALLY HIS FELLOW MEMBERS THERE, POSTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA, "THE PRESIDENT CALLED US TO THE CAPITOL AND HE WANTS US TO MAKE IT WILD."

THEY CLAIM MEGGS AND OTHERS ALSO STORED WEAPONS IN A NEARBY HOTEL AS PART OF THEIR PLAN.

>>OKAY, ERIK, GREAT REPORTING THERE.

>>THANK YOU.

>>ABOUT MORE THAN 800 PEOPLE NATIONWIDE FACE CHARGES CRIMINALLY IN THESE EVENTS.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THAT NUMBER FROM FLORIDA AND HOW IT SORT OF STACKS UP COMPARED WITH OTHER STATES?

>>WELL, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT DATABASE YOU LOOK AT.

THE FEDS ARE VERY SLOW IN UPDATING THE DOJ WEBSITE AS FAR AS THE NUMBERS GO.

ROUGHLY WE ARE ABOUT 83, 86, ARRESTS HERE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

THAT IS LEADING THE NATION SO FAR.

YAY, FLORIDA.

>>YEAH.

>>WE'RE NUMBER ONE.

LOCALLY IN THE NINE COUNTIES THAT THE ORLANDO MEDIA SERVES, WE'VE COUNTED 30 NOW, AND THAT INCLUDES THE ARREST THIS WEEK OF THREE PEOPLE FROM ST.

CLOUD.

>>I MEAN, THAT'S QUITE A LOT OF PEOPLE, RENATA.

>>WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF CASES IN FLORIDA OVERALL, IT'S ABOUT A QUARTER OF CASES THAT ARE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

SO AGAIN, THE NUMBERS WILL BE UPDATED.

WHAT THIS REALLY DOES, THESE PUBLIC HEARINGS, IS THAT IT INTRODUCES INTO AMERICAN CONSCIOUSNESS WHAT A TRANSFER OF POWER LOOKS LIKE, WHAT IT SHOULD NOT LOOK LIKE, WHAT SYSTEMS IN PLACE MIGHT LOOK LIKE WHEN THEY'RE BROKEN DOWN.

AND I BELIEVE VIEWERSHIP SO FAR HAS BEEN ABOUT MORE THAN 20 MILLION.

>>20 MILLION, YES.

>>YEAH.

SO IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THE NUMBER OF CASES EVOLVE AS WE HEAR MORE FROM PEOPLE.

>>IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE'VE TAKEN FOR GRANTED PREVIOUSLY.

ERIK, LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR REPORTING ON THOSE GROUPS SUCH AS THE PROUD BOYS.

I MEAN, WHAT KINDS OF CHARGES ARE THOSE PEOPLE FACING?

>>WE HAVE JOSEPH BIGGS, WHO YOU SAW IN MY PIECE, AND THEY SAY THAT HE WAS THE FLORIDA LEADER OF THE PROUD BOYS.

>>PROUD BOYS.

>>HE LIVED IN ORMOND BEACH.

WE HAVE KELLY MEGGS WHO LIVED IN DUNNELLON.

BOTH OF THEM ARE BEHIND BARS RIGHT NOW.

MEGGS THEY SAID WAS THE FLORIDA LEADER OF THE OATH KEEPERS.

AND KENNETH HARRELSON IN TITUSVILLE.

THOSE THREE, OUT OF THE 30 THAT WE HAVE LOCALLY ARRESTED, ARE CHARGED WITH THE MOST SERIOUS CHARGES SO FAR THAT THE FEDS HAVE HANDED DOWN AND THAT IS CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT SEDITION.

AND THOSE ARE MAJOR CHARGES.

THAT'S WHY THEY'RE STILL IN JAIL.

THEY'RE BEING KEPT IN JAIL UNTIL THEY MAKE IT TO TRIAL.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THAT CHARGE COULD BE HANDED DOWN LATER ON.

I MEAN THE FEDS- >>YEAH.

>>ALL THEIR CARDS AREN'T ON THE TABLE YET.

THEIR INVESTIGATION CONTINUES AND THEY CAN STILL FILE CHARGES AGAINST MORE PEOPLE.

>>I MEAN, IT CONTINUES, AS YOU MENTIONED, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL FACING CHARGES AND SENTENCING.

>>ABSOLUTELY.

>>IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

>>I MEAN, JUST THE THREE THAT WERE ARRESTED THIS WEEK AND AT LEAST ONE OF THEM, THEY'RE ALL FROM THE SAME GROUP.

>>YEAH.

>>BUT ONE OF THEM SAID THAT THEY JOINED THE OATH KEEPERS, REJOINED THE OATH KEEPERS, SHORTLY BEFORE JANUARY 6TH.

THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER MEMBERS LOCALLY THAT ARE MEMBERS OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS, THE PROUD BOYS, THE OATH KEEPERS, BUT THEIR CHARGES HAVE NOT RISEN TO SUCH A SERIOUS LEVEL.

THEY'RE STILL FACING FELONY AND MISDEMEANOR CHARGES, BUT THEY'RE STILL FREE ON BAIL.

>>RENATA, LET'S DRILL DOWN A LITTLE BIT ON THIS HATE GROUP ISSUE.

I MEAN, BEFORE THE UNITE THE RIGHT EVENT IN CHARLOTTESVILLE, I THINK IT WAS 2017, MANY PEOPLE, I DON'T THINK, HAD HEARD OF GROUPS LIKE THE PROUD BOYS, BUT FLORIDA HAS A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF THESE GROUPS.

THE SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER CALLS THEM HATE GROUPS.

FLORIDA IS HOME TO A LOT OF THEM.

>>LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS WORD, HATE.

HATE GROUPS, IF WE LOOK AT THE HATE MAP THAT THE SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER PUT TOGETHER, THEY IDENTIFIED IN 2021 53 HATE GROUPS ACROSS FLORIDA.

WHEN WE DEFINE A HATE GROUP THOUGH, IT'S REALLY A GROUP OR AN ORGANIZATION OR A MOVEMENT THAT IS PROMOTING, SUPPORTING, ADVOCATING, VERBAL HOSTILITY, PHYSICAL HOSTILITY, OR ANY FORM OF HOSTILITY TOWARD A GROUP BASED ON RACE, ETHNICITY, GENDER IDENTITY, OR ANY OTHER IDENTIFYING BELIEF SYSTEM.

SO BASICALLY WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS HOW YOU CLASSIFY A HATE GROUP REALLY IS SUBJECTIVE.

YOU COULD LOOK AT THE HATE MAP THAT THE SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER PUT TOGETHER, FOR EXAMPLE, AND YOU COULD SEE SOME NAMES THAT LOOK PRETTY INNOCUOUS.

AT THE SAME TIME THERE ARE OTHER GROUPS LIKE THESE THAT EXIST, THERE ARE OTHER MAPS, OTHER WAYS TO TRACK HATE IN THIS STATE.

BUT WE'RE SURELY HEARING MORE OF THESE NAMES, AND THAT'S INTERESTING.

>>VERY CONCERNING.

>>YEAH.

>>AND ERIK'S GOING TO BE TRAVELING BACK TO WASHINGTON TO COVER MORE OF THESE EVENTS AS THEY UNFOLD AND WE'LL CERTAINLY KEEP TRACK OF YOUR REPORTING, GUYS.

YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO WKMG CHANNEL SIX' EXTENSIVE COVERAGE OF JANUARY 6TH ON OUR WEBSITE.

YOU CAN ALSO FIND A LINK TO MY FULL INTERVIEW WITH CONGRESSMAN SOTO THERE AS WELL.

WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT PUERTO RICAN STATEHOOD AND GUN SAFETY.

IT'S ALL AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

>>OKAY, NEXT TONIGHT, LET'S TALK ABOUT GUNS.

LAST WEEKEND ORLANDO AS MARKED THE SIXTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TRAGEDY AT PULSE, SENATORS MARCO RUBIO AND RICK SCOTT LED A SENATE RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE ATTACK.

>>THIS WEEK ON THE SIXTH ANNIVERSARY OF THIS DEVASTATING TRAGEDY, THE STATE OF FLORIDA COMES TOGETHER TO HONOR THE LIVES LOST TOO SOON.

AND WE VOW TO ALWAYS STAND UP AND FIGHT AGAINST EVIL AND HATRED IN THIS WORLD.

I WAS PROUD LAST YEAR CONGRESS PASSED AND THE PRESIDENT SIGNED INTO LAW, LEGISLATION I INTRODUCED WITH SENATOR RUBIO AND SENATOR PADILLA TO DESIGNATE THE LOCATION OF PULSE NIGHTCLUB IN ORLANDO AS THE NATIONAL PULSE MEMORIAL, WHICH WILL HONOR THE MEMORY OF THOSE WE LOST.

TODAY I'M REQUESTING ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES JOIN SENATOR RUBIO AND ME TO PASS A RESOLUTION HONORING THE MEMORY OF THE 49 LIVES LOST DURING THE HEINOUS ATTACK AT THE PULSE NIGHTCLUB.

>>MEANWHILE THE DEBATE OVER GUN SAFETY IN THE WAKE OF THE TEXAS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SHOOTING CONTINUES WITH NEWS OF A BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT, IN PRINCIPLE, ON CAPITOL HILL.

A BIPARTISAN GROUP OF SENATORS, INCLUDING 10 REPUBLICANS, HAVE COME UP WITH SEVERAL KEY PROPOSALS.

RESOURCES TO STATES AND TRIBES TO CREATE AND ADMINISTER RED FLAG LAWS SIMILAR TO THE ONE PASSED IN FLORIDA AFTER THE 2018 PARKLAND SHOOTING.

SUPPORT FOR STATE CRISIS INTERVENTION PROGRAMS, FUNDING FOR SCHOOL SAFETY RESOURCES, AND EXTRA SCRUTINY FOR GUN BUYERS UNDER THE AGE OF 21.

OKAY, ERIK.

SENATORS RUBIO AND SCOTT HAD PRESSED A SIMILAR PROPOSAL ON INCENTIVES FOR RED FLAG LAWS LAST YEAR.

YOU CAN FIND A LINK, BY THE WAY, TO THE BILL THEY FILED ON OUR WEBSITE.

WHAT ARE POLITICAL WATCHERS SAYING ABOUT WHETHER RUBIO, OTHER REPUBLICANS, MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET BEHIND THIS KIND OF LEGISLATION?

>>WELL, THE SENATORS HAVE BEEN HARD TO GET AHOLD OF FOR THEIR TAKE ON THIS.

>>YEAH.

>>FOR THE MOST PART.

BUT IN A RECENT INTERVIEW, RUBIO SAID THAT HE WOULD SUPPORT EXPANDING THE THREAT ASSESSMENTS AND ALSO MAKING IT EASIER FOR STATES TO ESTABLISH THEIR OWN RED FLAG LAWS.

FLORIDA HAS THEIR OWN RED FLAG LAWS.

>>YES.

>>AND I THINK THAT SORT OF HELPS IN THAT ARGUMENT.

IT WAS PASSED RIGHT AFTER- >>AFTER PARKLAND.

>>EXACTLY.

A FEW YEARS AGO.

SO I THINK HAVING THAT, ESPECIALLY IN A REPUBLICAN STATE, HAVING A RED FLAG LAW IS BOLSTERING HIS ARGUMENT FOR THAT.

BUT HE, IN HIS WORDS, DOESN'T THINK THAT THERE'S ANY ONE PROPOSAL THAT'S GOING TO BE A COOKIE CUTTER FIX FOR EVERYTHING.

>>YES.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THAT RED FLAG LAW IN FLORIDA, RENATA?

IT'S BEEN USED A LOT, RIGHT?

>>YEAH.

WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF COUNTIES, POLK COUNTY AND PINELLAS COUNTY WHERE WE SEE THESE LAWS IMPLEMENTED.

BASICALLY WHAT IT DOES IS IT GIVES A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER THE PERMISSION, BASICALLY SOMEONE FILES A PETITION.

THEY SAY, "LOOK, THIS PERSON DOES NOT NEED A GUN."

THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER GOES TO A JUDGE AND REQUESTS AN ORDER THAT GRANTS THAT OFFICER PERMISSION TO TAKE THE GUN.

THE JUDGE LOOKS AT A SERIES OF FACTORS ANYWHERE FROM MENTAL HEALTH TO PERHAPS WHETHER THE PERSON HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN A RECENT ATTACK AND THAT DETERMINES- >>OR INVOLVEMENT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

>>YEAH.

AND SO I BELIEVE IF WE COUNT THE NUMBER OF PETITIONS RECEIVED IN PINELLAS COUNTY IT'S SOMEWHERE UPWARDS OF 1100, IN POLK COUNTY, MORE THAN 1300.

THE IDEA IS THAT THERE IS SOME ACTION TOWARD PREVENTING SOMEONE FROM HAVING A GUN WHO SHOULD NOT HAVE IT.

NOW I DO NOT KNOW HOW MUCH SCRUTINY IS BEING PLACED WITHIN LAW ENFORCEMENT THEMSELVES, OR IF THIS IS JUST MORE SO CIVIL.

>>YES.

>>BUT DEFINITELY IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN PROVEN EFFECTIVE OVER YEARS.

>>CERTAINLY, FRIENDS AND FAMILY CAN SORT OF RAISE CONCERNS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.

I MEAN, ERIK, IN 2018 AND YOU ALLUDED TO EARLIER, THEN GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT SIGNED THIS MARJORIE STONEMAN DOUGLAS SCHOOL SAFETY ACT INTO PLACE.

AND THAT BANNED GUN SALES FOR PEOPLE UNDER 21.

THIS LEGISLATION, THIS BIPARTISAN PROPOSAL, I SHOULD SAY, STOPS WELL SHORT OF THAT.

>>YEAH.

AND WHEN ASKED ABOUT THAT, SCOTT BASICALLY TOOK TWO STEPS BACK AND SAID THAT IT'S REALLY UP TO STATES TO DO THIS, WHERE FLORIDA HAS ALREADY DONE IT.

IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THESE LAWMAKERS HAMMER ALL THIS OUT BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY, WE HAVE THE RED FLAG WARNINGS, WE HAVE MENTAL HEALTH, FOR EXAMPLE.

THERE'S JUST SO MANY FACTORS THAT THEY HAVE TO LOOK AT IN ORDER TO CRAFT THIS LEGISLATION AND A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST SAY, "WHATEVER THEY DO, IT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD START.

IT'S GOING TO BE A STEPPING POINT."

>>OF COURSE, GOVERNOR, NOW SENATOR SCOTT, IS IN A MUCH DIFFERENT POLITICAL POSITION THAN HE WAS WHEN HE WAS GOVERNOR OF THE STATE IN 2018.

>>VERY TRUE, YEAH.

>>OF COURSE.

>>RENATA, CONGRESSMAN SOTO TOLD ME HE THINKS THAT THE FLORIDA LAW THAT WAS PASSED COULD BE KIND OF A BLUEPRINT FOR FUTURE FEDERAL LEGISLATION.

BUT STATE DEMOCRATS HERE IN FLORIDA, REPRESENTATIVE ANNA ESKAMANI BEING AMONG THEM, WANT MORE DONE.

WHAT DO THEY WANT?

>>THEY WANTED A SPECIAL SESSION.

>>THEY DID, RIGHT?

>>AND THAT DID NOT PASS.

WE'VE SEEN PEOPLE LIKE RANDOLPH BRACY PROPOSE, FOR EXAMPLE, A MORAL CHARACTER AFFIDAVIT THAT SOMEONE WOULD NEED TO FILL OUT.

WE'VE HEARD THE DEMOCRATS LOCALLY SPEAK ABOUT UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND CHECKS AND ALSO, AGAIN, THESE MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENTS.

WHAT I DO WANT TO SAY IS THAT THERE'S ABSOLUTELY BEEN MOVEMENT TOWARD MORE CONVERSATIONS AND THE MORE MASS SHOOTINGS THAT WE HAVE THAT CONTINUES TO INTRODUCE THESE CONVERSATIONS.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE REALITY IS THAT PEOPLE CAN STILL ACCESS GUNS ILLEGALLY WITHOUT LEGISLATION.

>>IT'S FINDING THE LEGISLATION THAT WILL ACTUALLY TACKLE THE ISSUE AT HAND.

>>EXACTLY.

>>AND BE SURE TO JOIN THIS CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE'RE @WUCFTV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND ALSO ON INSTAGRAM.

>>OKAY, THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY IN CENTRAL FLORIDA GOT SOME IMPORTANT NEWS IN THE LAST WEEK.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS LIFTED ITS REQUIREMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS TO PRESENT A NEGATIVE COVID TEST BEFORE BOARDING A FLIGHT TO THE UNITED STATES.

AMONG THE INDUSTRIES WELCOMING THE NEWS, THE CRUISE INDUSTRY, WHICH RELIES PARTLY ON INTERNATIONAL VISITORS TO THE US.

BUT AS CRUISE LINES SEE STEADILY INCREASING OCCUPANCY, TWO ISSUES ARE LOOMING, A STAFFING SHORTAGE AND ANOTHER SPIKE IN COVID CASES.

NEWSNIGHT'S KRYSTEL KNOWLES HAS BEEN LOOKING AT WHAT COMES NEXT.

>>FLORIDA PORTS CREATE MORE THAN $117 BILLION IN REVENUE ALONG WITH MORE THAN 900,000 JOBS.

NOW THIS PORT IN PARTICULAR CREATES ABOUT $3 BILLION IN REVENUE, ALONG WITH MORE THAN 32,000 JOBS.

SO KEEPING PORTS OPEN IS CRUCIAL FOR BUSINESS.

NEARLY 80% OF PORT CANAVERAL'S REVENUE COMES FROM THE CRUISE INDUSTRY.

WHEN COVID HIT, THAT INCOME DRIED UP.

>>WE DID LOSE HALF A YEAR OF REVENUE AND OUR FISCAL YEAR RUNS FROM OCTOBER 1ST TO SEPTEMBER 30TH, SO WE LOST A HALF YEAR WHEN THE PANDEMIC STARTED.

AND THEN THE FOLLOWING YEAR, WE LOST ALMOST THE ENTIRE YEAR.

OUR TOTAL REVENUE IS THE LOWEST IT'S BEEN SINCE 1991.

>>IN 2020, THE PORT LOST ABOUT $17 MILLION, $36 MILLION THE FOLLOWING FISCAL YEAR.

CANAVERAL PORT AUTHORITY CEO CAPTAIN JOHN MURRAY SAYS HE HAD TO COME UP WITH A NEW GAME PLAN.

>>WE DID SOME VERY TOUGH THINGS HERE.

WE ENDED UP REDUCING OUR HEAD COUNT BY ABOUT 43%.

AND ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS, IN A PRIOR LIFE I WAS INVOLVED IN A CHAPTER 11 BANKRUPTCY REORGANIZATION, AND I LEARNED EARLY ON THAT WHEN YOU'RE IN THIS TYPE OF A SITUATION, PRESERVE YOUR CASH.

>>ONCE THE FIRST CRUISE SET SALE LAST YEAR IN JULY, CALMER WATERS LAY AHEAD.

WITH THE ADDITION OF MORE CRUISE SHIPS, THE INDUSTRY HAS GENERATED MORE THAN 50 MILLION IN REVENUE SO FAR THIS FISCAL YEAR FOR THE PORT.

BUT SOME BUSINESS OWNERS, INCLUDING THE OWNER OF FISHLIPS RESTAURANT AT THE PORT ARE STILL FEELING THE AFTER EFFECTS.

>>BUSINESS HAS BEEN GOOD.

WE STILL HAVE MAJOR STRUGGLES WITH GETTING EMPLOYEES BACK TO WORK.

AND JUST, UNFORTUNATELY RIGHT NOW, THE RIGHT COST OF GOODS, SUPPLY AND DEMAND, AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS AGAINST US.

>>NOW BOTH THE PORT AND THE BUSINESSES HERE SAY THEY'RE MONITORING THE LATEST COVID TRENDS, READY TO RIDE OUT ANY POTENTIAL FUTURE WAVES.

>>AND AS LONG AS WE'RE BEING SAFE IN WHAT WE DO AND THE BUSINESSES CAN OPERATE, I THINK THE GUESTS WILL STILL COME.

>>YEAH, I CAN SAY WE'RE PREPARED, FIRST OF ALL.

THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE.

BUT WHEN THE PANDEMIC WAS FIRST IDENTIFIED, NO ONE KNEW, INCLUDING THE CDC, WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT.

AND I THINK THE WORLD HAS GOTTEN A LOT SMARTER IN THE MEANTIME, AND THE VIRUS HAS GOTTEN LESS POTENT THAN IT WAS ORIGINALLY.

SO I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER SHUTDOWN SCENARIO.

IF WE DID, WE'RE PREPARED.

>>WELL, FLORIDA NOW LEADS THE NATION IN THE PERCENTAGE OF RESIDENTS LIVING IN HIGH RISK COUNTIES FOR CORONAVIRUS.

MOST OF CENTRAL FLORIDA IS NOW IN THE HIGH CATEGORY FOR BOTH COMMUNITY COVID LEVELS AND TRANSMISSION AMID THE CIRCULATION OF MULTIPLE OMICRON STRAINS.

I SPOKE WITH THE ORLANDO SENTINELS HEALTH REPORTER CAROLINE CATHERMAN ABOUT WHAT THE CDCS HIGH RISK DESIGNATION ACTUALLY MEANS.

>>THIS METRIC IS BASED ON HOSPITALIZATIONS, AND HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE SORT OF GETTING UP THERE.

I TALKED TO LOCAL HOSPITALS AND THEY'RE NOT ANYWHERE NEAR BEING OVERWHELMED RIGHT NOW.

THEY'RE FINE.

BUT THIS IS LIKE A WARNING SIGN THAT WE MAYBE NEED TO BE MORE MINDFUL OF TAKING COVID PRECAUTIONS SO THAT WE DON'T END UP IN ANY SORT OF DANGEROUS SITUATION AGAIN.

>>THE STATE'S AUDITOR GENERAL PUT OUT A REPORT, WHICH SAYS FLORIDA'S COVID 19 DATA WAS SO INACCURATE, INCOMPLETE, AND DELAYED DURING THE FIRST MONTHS OF THE PANDEMIC THAT IT WAS VERY HARD TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE STATE'S COVID 19 MITIGATION MEASURES.

WHAT CONCLUSIONS DO YOU DRAW FROM THIS REPORT?

>>IT WASN'T SURPRISING, BUT I WILL ALSO SAY THIS WASN'T AN ISSUE THAT WAS SPECIFIC TO FLORIDA AT ALL.

NATIONWIDE, WE JUST WEREN'T REALLY PREPARED TO MONITOR THESE CASES WITH THE INTENSITY THAT WAS REQUIRED.

THIS ISN'T NECESSARILY A CONDEMNATION ON FLORIDA IN PARTICULAR, THIS WAS A NATIONWIDE ISSUE.

>>AND JUST FINALLY, CAROLINE, THE FDA'S DECISION ON VACCINATIONS FOR THE VERY YOUNGEST CHILDREN.

ARE PARENTS YOU'RE TALKING TO KEEN ON THE IDEA?

DO YOU THINK WE'LL SEE A LOT OF UPTAKE OR ARE PEOPLE CONCERNED?

>>I DO THINK THERE'S MORE HESITATION AROUND GIVING IT TO THE YOUNGEST KIDS, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I THINK THE NARRATIVE HAS BEEN THAT KIDS AREN'T AS AT BIG A THREAT OF COVID AND SO THEY MIGHT NOT NEED THAT.

HOWEVER, WHEN YOU HAVE KIDS OVER UNDER ONE AS WELL, THEY'RE ACTUALLY JUST AS AT RISK AS LIKE REALLY ELDERLY PEOPLE.

EVERY MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL I'VE TALKED TO IS PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT THIS IS SAFE AND WORTH THE RISKS.

BUT I KNOW WITH THIS VACCINE IN PARTICULAR, THERE'S MORE OF AN EMPHASIS ON GETTING IT INTO PEDIATRICIAN'S OFFICES SO THAT PEDIATRICIANS HOPEFULLY CAN HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH PARENTS AND THEN SAY, "I HAVE THE VACCINE AVAILABLE HERE."

RATHER THAN GOING TO A DRUGSTORE AND GETTING IT FROM SOMEONE THAT YOU MAYBE DON'T HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP OR TRUST WITH.

>>WELL, LET'S START THERE WITH THE FDA ADVISORY PANEL RECOMMENDATION THIS WEEK ON VACCINES FOR KIDS UNDER FIVE.

THE MIAMI HERALD WAS THE FIRST TO REPORT THAT FLORIDA IS THE ONLY STATE IN THE NATION NOT TO PRE-ORDER THOSE VACCINES FOR KIDS.

RENATA, LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT THIS A SECOND.

I MEAN, PRESUMABLY THAT WILL MEAN THAT IT WILL BE A LOT MORE DIFFICULT FOR PARENTS TO GET A HOLD OF THESE VACCINES, ASSUMING THAT THE FDA DOES APPROVE THEM FOR KIDS UNDER FIVE.

>>YEAH.

AND THE FDA COULD POSSIBLY APPROVE THE VACCINES AS EARLY AS NEXT WEEK.

WHAT THIS IS GOING TO REQUIRE IS A LOT MORE WORK FROM PARENTS, A LOT MORE INVOLVEMENT OR RELATIONSHIP WITH MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE HAD BEFORE, IN ORDER TO KEEP AN EYE ON WHAT DIRECTION TO GO, REALLY.

I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT IT'S LOOKING LIKE AT THIS POINT.

>>THE STATE HAS BEEN HIGHLY CRITICAL OF THE FEDERAL DISTRIBUTION OF VACCINES.

THE STATE ALSO SAYS IT'S NOT SURPRISING THAT IT WOULDN'T PRE-ORDER THEM BECAUSE IT DOESN'T RECOMMEND VACCINATIONS FOR THIS AGE GROUP.

I MEAN, ERIK, THE STATE SAYS THAT DOCTORS CAN INDIVIDUALLY ORDER THEM, ALTHOUGH IT HASN'T GOTTEN ANY ORDERS IN YET, BUT DATA SHOWS THAT THERE'S QUITE A LOT OF HESITANCY AMONG PARENTS AS WELL.

>>THERE IS.

AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THE PEDIATRICIANS, THEY'RE FRUSTRATED BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GETTING THEIR VACCINES, BUT IT DEPENDS AGAIN ON WHICH STUDIES YOU LOOK AT, BUT LESS THAN FEWER THAN 20% OF PARENTS SAY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET THEIR KIDS UNDER FIVE VACCINATED.

>>REALLY?

>>THERE'S JUST NOT THAT BIG DEMAND, AT LEAST RIGHT NOW.

AND I MEAN.

A LOT OF MOMS AND DADS JUST SAY THEY WANT TO SEE MORE RESEARCH BEFORE THEY POKE THEIR CHILD WITH A VACCINE THAT THEY DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE EFFECTIVENESS AND SIDE EFFECTS.

IT'S STILL TOO NEW FOR A LOT OF PARENTS.

>>BUT A LOT OF DOCTORS SAY THAT THE VACCINATION OF THE YOUNGER KIDS COULD BE THE WAY OUT OF THIS PROBLEM THAT WE FIND OURSELVES IN.

>>YEAH.

>>BECAUSE THEY'RE A BIG UNVACCINATED SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION, RIGHT?

>>YEAH.

AND AGAIN, THAT'S JUST WHERE THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, RELATIONSHIP WITH RESEARCHERS, REALLY IS THE IMPORTANT THING, AT THIS TIME.

>>YEAH.

AND WE HEARD CAROLINE CATHERMAN HERE TALK ABOUT THE TRUST ISSUE.

LET'S SWITCH TO THIS TRAVEL TESTING ISSUE BECAUSE THIS IS KIND OF A BIG ONE FOR OUR REGION.

HOW'S THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY SORT OF BROADLY RESPONDED TO THE LIFTING OF THOSE TESTING REQUIREMENTS, RENATA, FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL.

IT'S GOT TO BE POSITIVE RESPONSE, RIGHT?

>>YEAH.

>>I WOULD'VE THOUGHT.

>>A STANDING OVATION.

>>YES.

>>THAT'S FUNNY YOU USED THAT WORD POSITIVE.

>>YES.

>>THE INDUSTRY IS, THIS IS A MORE THAN $4 BILLION INDUSTRY.

>>YEAH.

>>WE'VE GOT INDEPENDENT TOUR OPERATORS, FRANCHISE OWNERS, TRAVEL ADVISORS, AND WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR BUSINESS.

THEY CAN HOPEFULLY GET THE PEOPLE BACK ON THE CRUISES THAT THEY WERE GETTING BEFORE.

IT ALSO PUTS MORE ONUS ON THE TRAVELERS THEMSELVES TO MONITOR THEMSELVES, TO TEST THEMSELVES.

TRAVELERS HAVE BEEN ANXIOUS ABOUT WHETHER THEY MIGHT GO TO A DESTINATION AND NOT BE ABLE TO REENTER.

>>YEAH.

AND WE THINK FLIGHTS ARE EXPENSIVE NOW, RIGHT?

>>THAT'S TRUE.

>>I MEAN, ERIK, I MEAN THIS TESTING SORT OF DECISION, I MEAN, IT COULD BE BIG FOR OUR BIG ATTRACTIONS, THE THEME PARKS, FOR EXAMPLE.

>>ABSOLUTELY.

>>AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SORT OF CONCERNED OVER CONFIDENCE.

MAYBE THIS WILL GIVE PEOPLE MORE CONFIDENCE.

>>HOPEFULLY.

AND I'M GOING TO LET YOU IN ON A LITTLE SECRET, IF WE IN THE TV BUSINESS EVER WANT TO FIND AN INTERNATIONAL TRAVELER FOR A STORY, WE KNOW TO GO TO INTERNATIONAL DRIVE, I DRIVE.

>>YES.

>>IT'S NAMED THAT FOR A REASON.

AND YOU CAN, USUALLY ON ANY GIVEN DAY, FIND SOMEBODY WITH ANY GIVEN ACCENT AND DETERMINE WHERE THEY'RE FROM.

NOT THE CASE RIGHT NOW AND NOT THE CASE FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.

I MEAN, THAT JUST SHOWS YOU, I MEAN, AS A JOURNALIST GOING THERE KNOWING I CAN FIND SOMEBODY, HOW MANY PEOPLE FROM A FOREIGN COUNTRY MAY BE VISITING THE GREATER ORLANDO AREA AT ANY ONE GIVEN TIME?

IT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE BOOST.

MAYOR DYER, MAYOR DEMINGS, BOTH SENT LETTERS TO THE PRESIDENT ASKING HIM TO LIFT THAT.

AND, YEAH, IT HAS A LOT OF SUPPORT AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE A BIG RESULT OF THAT.

>>WE SHOULD BE CLEAR THOUGH, THAT THIS DOES NOT CHANGE THE VACCINE REQUIREMENT, RIGHT?

>>CORRECT.

YES.

AND I THINK THAT'S FOR THE BETTER.

>>AND AGAIN, I HAVE TALKED TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE TAKEN THE VACCINE AND STILL TESTED POSITIVE.

>>YEAH.

>>SO THERE'S JUST A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY AROUND THIS, BUT WHAT IT ABSOLUTELY DOES IS IT RESTORES THE INDUSTRY BACK TO SOME LEVEL OF NORMALCY.

>>AND CERTAINLY THE LAST TIME I WAS IN THE UK, I SPOKE TO SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT ABLE TO TRAVEL TO THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T VACCINATED.

>>REALLY?

>>I SEE.

>>AND THAT'S BEEN A SORT OF A POINT OF CONTROVERSY AMONGST PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY AND THAT COUNTRY AS WELL.

>>WELL, THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK.

MY THANKS TO RENATA SAGO.

>>THANK YOU.

>>INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST.

ERIK SANDOVAL, WKMG CHANNEL SIX.

>>OF COURSE.

ALWAYS A PLEASURE.

>>THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING IN.

WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:30 HERE ON WUCF.

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT, TAKE CARE AND HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.