>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, REACTION IN FLORIDA TO THE OVERTURNING OF ROE VERSUS WADE.

>>DISBELIEF, SHOCK.

I FELT VERY TRAUMATIZED IMMEDIATELY.

>>WE'D LIKE TO SEE ABORTION BANNED HERE COMPLETELY IN FLORIDA.

>>THE LANDMARK RULING, AND WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IN FLORIDA.

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 YOU.

WE DO THIS BY BRINGING TOGETHER A TEAM OF JOURNALISTS FROM DIFFERENT LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR IN-DEPTH DISCUSSIONS ON THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES.

JOINING US THIS WEEK, DARALENE JONES FROM WFTV CHANNEL NINE.

THANK YOU DARALENE FOR COMING IN.

>>OF COURSE.

>>AND TALIA BLAKE FROM 90.7 WMFE.

THANK YOU TALIA FOR BEING HERE.

>>THANKS.

>>THANK YOU GUYS.

APPRECIATE IT.

ALL RIGHT, FIRST TONIGHT, THE VOICES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ABORTION DEBATE IN FLORIDA AND WHAT THEY THINK THE IMPLICATIONS OF LAST WEEK'S SUPREME COURT RULING MIGHT BE GOING FORWARD.

LET'S START WITH JENNIE JOSEPH, WHO RUNS COMMON SENSE CHILDBIRTH, A MIDWIFERY CENTER IN WINTER GARDEN.

SHE ADVOCATES FOR IMPROVED MATERNAL HEALTH OUTCOMES AND A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE.

>>OKAY.

I'M HAPPY NOW.

>>JOSEPH'S CLIENTS ARE PREDOMINANTLY LOW INCOME AND PEOPLE OF COLOR.

SHE DOES NOT PROVIDE ABORTIONS, BUT SHE SAYS SHE HELPS HER NEW CLIENTS DECIDE WHAT TO DO WHEN THEY LEARN THEIR PREGNANT AND THEN SUPPORTS THEIR CHOICE.

SHE SAYS THE SUPREME COURT'S DECISION WILL REDUCE THE NUMBER OF OPTIONS FOR PREGNANT WOMEN, ESPECIALLY THOSE FROM UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND INCREASE THE NUMBER OF UNWANTED PREGNANCIES, ADDING TO THE BURDEN ON THE SMALL NUMBER OF ACCESS FOR ALL CLINICS LIKE HERS.

WE ARE GOING TO BE IN DIRE STRAITS AS FAR AS SCRAMBLING TO CIRCUMVENT ESSENTIALLY WHAT'S HAPPENED BECAUSE THERE'S NO SAFETY NET NOW.

THERE NEVER WAS, REALLY, AND NOW THIS HAS MADE IT EVEN WORSE.

WHEN PEOPLE APPROACH US IN THE EARLY PREGNANCY, THEY ARE USUALLY AT THEIR WITS END AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO.

AND SO WE ARE THERE TO SUPPORT THEM IN GETTING TO THAT PLACE, THAT DECISION BY THEMSELVES, BECAUSE IT'S THEIR HUMAN RIGHT TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.

SO WE WORK FROM BOTH ANGLES.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO FIGURE OUT THEIR BEST PATH FORWARD AND THEN WE WILL SUPPORT THAT PATH NO MATTER WHAT THE CHOICE IS.

WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT IN THIS COUNTRY, WE HAVEN'T PUT ANYTHING IN PLACE TO SUPPORT PREGNANT AND MOTHERING PARENTING FAMILIES, NOTHING.

WE DON'T HAVE MATERNITY LEAVE.

WE DON'T HAVE PAID TIME OFF TO GO TO THE DOCTOR.

WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS UNLESS YOU HAVE THE RIGHT INSURANCE CARD OR ENOUGH MONEY OR YOU CAN PAY THE STINKING DEDUCTIBLES.

WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ABOUT OUR SYSTEM THAT SAYS WE RECOGNIZE AND SUPPORT YOU AS YOU BRING LIFE, AS YOU CREATE AND SUPPORT LIFE, WE ARE NOT SUPPORTING YOU IN THAT.

THERE IS NOTHING ABOUT THIS COUNTRY THAT HAS SHOWN US THAT THERE'S AN INVESTMENT.

IN FACT, IT'S QUITE THE OPPOSITE.

YOU FEELING GOOD?

>>YEAH.

>>YOU LOOK GOOD.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE INCREASE FOR THE MATERNAL MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY, THIS IS WHERE IT'S GOING TO SHOW UP AS WELL.

THE IMPACT OF HOW WE'VE BEEN DOING BIRTH ALREADY, HOW WE'VE BEEN DOING PREGNANCY AND POSTPARTUM CARE ALREADY, IS APPARENT IN OUR DEAD LAST IN THE DEVELOPED NATIONS.

THOSE STATISTICS HAVE NOT CHANGED IN DECADES.

IN FACT, THEY'RE WORSENING.

WE ARE NOT AT ALL DOING WELL WITH HOW MOTHERS MANAGE THEIR PREGNANCIES AND BIRTHS.

THEY ARE DYING, LITERALLY.

THEY ARE STRUGGLING.

WE ARE SADLY GOING TO STAY LAST AND IF ONLY WE COULD WORSEN BEHIND OUR OWN STATISTIC, I MEAN, WE WOULD BE WORSE.

BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE WE STAND AT THIS POINT.

THERE ISN'T ANY HOPE FOR US TO MOVE UP AND IMPROVE MATERNAL HEALTH OUTCOMES GIVEN THIS.

>>JENNIE JOSEPH THERE.

WELL, NEXT LET'S HEAR FROM THE OTHER SIDE IN THIS DEBATE.

I SPOKE THIS WEEK WITH THE FOUNDER OF FLORIDA VOICE FOR THE UNBORN ABOUT WHAT HE'D LIKE TO SEE NOW.

>>OBVIOUSLY WE'D LIKE TO SEE ABORTION BANNED HERE COMPLETELY IN FLORIDA NOW THAT THE US SUPREME COURT HAS RETURNED THE RIGHTFUL AUTHORITY TO THE STATES TO ONCE AGAIN PROHIBIT ABORTION IF THEY SO CHOOSE.

SO I AM THE HEAD OF THE FLORIDA PRO-LIFE LOBBYING ORGANIZATION.

AND OF COURSE OUR GOAL IS TO COMPLETELY BAN ABORTION HERE IN THE SUNSHINE STATE.

WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO TO GET THERE.

I THINK NOW THOUGH, THE REALITY, THE GOAL IS ACHIEVABLE.

NOT ONLY BECAUSE THE SUPREME COURT HAS GIVEN US THE GREEN LIGHT AND THE ROADMAP ON HOW TO DO SO, BUT CITIZENS HERE ARE SEEING STATES SUCH AS MISSOURI AND SOUTH DAKOTA AND WEST VIRGINIA AND TEXAS COMPLETELY BAN ABORTION AND ALL THEIR ABORTION CLINICS HAVE SHUT DOWN.

I MEAN, THIS IS A SURREAL MOMENT WHERE WE ACTUALLY HAVE ABORTION FREE STATES.

SO I CAN'T SEE WHY A LEADING RED STATE LIKE FLORIDA CAN'T ALSO FOLLOW THE FOOTSTEPS OF THOSE OTHER RED STATES IN ALSO COMPLETELY PROHIBITING ABORTION WITHIN OUR BORDERS.

>>NOW, THAT SAID, WE RECOGNIZE THE POLITICAL REALITY.

WE RECOGNIZE AN ADDITIONAL HURDLE THAT WE NEED TO OVERCOME HERE IN FLORIDA, WHICH IS THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION, BUT WE ARE NOT GOING TO ACCEPT FROM OUR SO-CALLED PRO-LIFE ELECTED OFFICIALS A COMPROMISE, IF THEY WANT TO CALL IT THAT, A COMPROMISE HERE IN FLORIDA AS BEING THE STATUS QUO.

15 WEEKS IS A GOOD START IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

BUT THE VAST, VAST MAJORITY OF ABORTIONS THAT TAKE PLACE HERE IN FLORIDA ARE IN THE FIRST TRIMESTER, AND IF WE ARE REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT BANNING ABORTION, WE HAVE TO DO IT FROM THE MOMENT OF CONCEPTION ONWARD.

THE OTHER STATES HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT IT CAN BE DONE.

>>WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO HERE IS EMPOWER WOMEN AND BUILD AN AUTHENTIC CULTURE OF LIFE.

AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE HAVE TO ELIMINATE THE SCOURGE OF ABORTION FROM OUR SOCIETY.

SO GOING FORWARD, WE NEED THE STATE TO CONTINUE TO HELP WOMEN THAT FIND THEMSELVES IN DESPERATE SITUATIONS, JUST LIKE THEY DID IN TEXAS.

PROVIDE THAT SUBSTANTIAL FUNDING FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH CENTERS.

IN TEXAS THEY PROVIDED A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.

HERE IN FLORIDA WE'VE ONLY PROVIDED 4.5 MILLION EVERY YEAR.

THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE.

>>ANDREW SHIRVELL THERE.

JUST A NOTE, SENATOR MARCO RUBIO SAYS HE'LL FILE WHAT HE CALLS THE "PROVIDING FOR LIFE ACT, " WHICH INCLUDES PAID PARENTAL LEAVE AND EXPANSION OF, "PRO-LIFE CRISIS PREGNANCY CENTERS."

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS RULING FROM THE SUPREME COURT, GUYS.

I MEAN, DARALENE, ALL OUR OUTLETS HAVE BEEN COVERING THIS RULING.

WHAT HAVE YOUR COLLEAGUES BROADLY BEEN HEARING FROM BOTH SIDES IN THIS DEBATE ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS MOMENT?

>>IT IS HUGE.

AND CERTAINLY FLORIDA IS IN AN INTERESTING POSITION.

AS WE JUST HEARD, PRO-LIFE GROUPS CERTAINLY ARE GOING TO TRY TO USE THIS AS AMMUNITION FOR A FULL OUT BAN.

BUT FLORIDA'S AN INTERESTING POSITION BECAUSE AS OF THIS WEEK, IT IS PREPARED TO PUT IN LEGISLATION IS SUPPOSED TO GO INTO EFFECT THAT WILL LIMIT ABORTIONS AFTER 15 WEEKS.

BUT THIS IS CERTAINLY AMMUNITION LIKELY FOR THOSE PRO-LIFE GROUPS, BUT A HURDLE.

AS YOU HEARD, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TRY TO GET OVER IS THE AMENDMENT TO THE STATE CONSTITUTION, DATING BACK TO 1980, WHICH WAS REAFFIRMED BY FLORIDA VOTERS IN 2012, WHICH LITERALLY BROADENS PRIVACY RIGHTS AND HAS BEEN INTERPRETED TO INCLUDE ABORTION.

BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS, I BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS MORE FIGHT, IF YOU WILL, FROM THOSE GROUPS WHO BELIEVE THAT WOMEN SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE, IT'S THEIR BODY, THEIR RIGHT.

AND SO I BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HEAR AN INCREASED ARGUMENT, A LOUDER ARGUMENT, FROM THEM.

THIS IS CERTAINLY AMMUNITION.

>>YEAH.

I WANT TO GET A BIT MORE INTO THE PRIVACY CLAUSE A LITTLE LATER.

TALIA, WMFE HAS BEEN GATHERING REACTIONS THIS WEEK THAT YOU'VE BEEN AIRING ON YOUR PROGRAM, MORNING EDITION.

WHAT STOOD OUT TO YOU FROM THE LOCAL REACTION THAT YOU'VE BEEN HEARING?

YOU HAD SOMETHING ON JUST TODAY ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH, FOR EXAMPLE.

>>YEAH.

MENTAL HEALTH.

AND IT'S INTERESTING THAT PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE ARE CALLING WITH CONCERNS TO THEIR MENTAL HEALTH.

PEOPLE WHO ARE PRO-CHOICE ARE CALLING BECAUSE THEY'RE ANGRY AND THEY'RE SAD, BUT PEOPLE WHO ARE PRO-LIFE ARE CALLING BECAUSE THEY'RE FEELING DIVIDED AMONGST THEIR FAMILY AND THAT'S PUTTING A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THEM.

>>YEAH.

>>THERE'S TWO STORIES ACTUALLY THIS WEEK THAT WE AIRED THAT REALLY STAND OUT TO ME.

ONE WAS OF MICHELLE HERZOG AND ANOTHER WAS STEPHANIE PINEDO, AND BOTH OF THEM HAD AN ABORTION IN THEIR LIFE.

AND DURING THEIR EXPERIENCE THROUGH THAT AND AFTER THAT LED THEM EITHER INTO PRO-CHOICE WORK OR PRO-LIFE WORK.

TO HEAR THEM TELL THEIR STORIES AND THE SIMILARITIES AND THE DIFFERENCES REALLY WAS ASTOUNDING THIS WEEK.

>>ONE OF THE ANTI-ABORTION CAMPAIGNERS THAT I SPOKE TO HAS SORT OF SAID, "THIS IS ACTUALLY A SEMINAL MOMENT FOR US BECAUSE OUR MOVEMENT HAS BEEN FOCUSED SOLELY ON OVERTURNING ROE FOR DECADES.

WELL, NOW WE'VE ACHIEVED IT.

WHAT DO WE ACTUALLY DO NOW?

WHAT IS OUR NEXT STEP?"

AND I GUESS THAT GOES TO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, DARALENE, THE NEXT STEP SEEMS TO BE MAKING BANS NATIONWIDE.

>>IT IS CERTAINLY FUEL AND IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT THE LEGISLATURES IN THOSE STATES THAT NOW LIKE FLORIDA HAVE LIMITS IN PLACE, STILL ALLOWING ABORTIONS, BUT THERE ARE LIMITATIONS TO IT.

AND SO IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THOSE STATE LEGISLATURES ACROSS THE COUNTRY MOVE FORWARD TO IMPLEMENT ALL OUT BANS.

>>YEAH.

CERTAINLY SOMETHING TO WATCH AS WE GO FORWARD.

YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO THE FULL SUPREME COURT OPINION THAT OVERTURNED ROE VERSUS WADE ON OUR WEBSITE, WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

>>WELL, LET'S TALK MORE ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF THIS RULING NOW.

I SPOKE WITH CHABELI CARRAZANA, ORLANDO BASED REPORTER FOR THE 19TH, WHICH COVERS ISSUES AROUND GENDER.

SHE SAYS ABORTION CLINICS IN STATES LIKE FLORIDA WHERE THE PROCEDURE IS, AS WE MENTIONED, STILL AVAILABLE, ARE NOW STRUGGLING TO COPE WITH DEMAND.

>>NOW YOU HAVE THESE BOTTLENECKS IN THESE STATES WHERE ABORTION IS STILL LEGAL, WHERE YOU'RE HAVING JUST PEOPLE FLYING IN FROM ALL OVER TO TRY TO RECEIVE THEIR CARE THERE.

AND THEY'RE ON A CLOCK.

THIS IS THE FURTHER YOU'RE INTO YOUR PREGNANCY THE MORE COMPLICATED IT BECOMES TO EVEN RECEIVE THIS CARE.

AND IN FLORIDA, THAT'S CERTAINLY TRUE WHERE WE'LL SEE THE 15 WEEK BAN GO INTO PLACE AT THE END OF THIS WEEK ON JULY 1ST.

AND AT THAT POINT, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BE RUSHING HERE TO RECEIVE ABORTIONS BEFORE THEY HIT THAT 15 WEEK GESTATIONAL LIMIT.

SO THERE'S A TIME ELEMENT.

THERE'S AN ACCESS ELEMENT.

AND THERE'S AN AVAILABILITY ELEMENT, BECAUSE THESE CLINICS ARE NOW OVERWHELMED.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM A LOT OF CLINICS.

I SPOKE TO ONE CLINIC IN COLORADO THAT SAID, "EVEN IF WE WERE OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, THERE JUST SIMPLY ARE NOT ENOUGH APPOINTMENTS TO SERVE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO NEED US AND ARE COMING TO US FOR CARE."

>>WELL, WE'LL HEAR MORE FROM CHABELI ABOUT HER POWERFUL REPORTING ON NEXT WEEK'S PROGRAM.

BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT, LET ME PLAY YOU THIS FROM PRESIDENT BIDEN ON THE COURT'S DECISION TO OVERTURN ROE.

>>THE COURT'S DECISION TO DO SO WILL HAVE REAL AND IMMEDIATE CONSEQUENCES.

STATE LAWS BANNING ABORTION ARE AUTOMATICALLY TAKING EFFECT TODAY, JEOPARDIZING THE HEALTH OF MILLIONS OF WOMEN, SOME WITHOUT EXCEPTIONS.

SO EXTREME THAT WOMEN CAN BE PUNISHED FOR PROTECTING THEIR HEALTH, SO EXTREME THAT WOMEN AND GIRLS WERE FORCED TO BEAR THEIR RAPIST'S CHILD.

>>WELL, TO WHAT THE PRESIDENT WAS SAYING, THERE, FLORIDA'S NEW LAW PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE DOES NOT HAVE AN EXCEPTION FOR RAPE, INCEST, OR HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

DARALENE, FLORIDA DIDN'T HAVE A TRIGGER LAW.

IN MANY STATES THOUGH, WOMEN HAVE JUST BEEN LEFT WITHOUT ANY CHOICE AT ALL.

>>NO OPTION AT ALL, WHICH WE HEARD CHABELI DISCUSS, NOW YOU HAVE THIS SCRAMBLING, THIS SCURRYING, IN TERMS OF WHERE TO GO.

BUT ANOTHER IMPACT THAT WE WILL SEE IN CERTAIN COMMUNITIES ARE BLACK AND HISPANIC COMMUNITIES AND THOSE COMMUNITIES WHERE THERE'S ALREADY A DISPARITY WHEN IT COMES TO HEALTHCARE.

AND SO IT WILL CERTAINLY- >>THOSE MATERNAL OUTCOMES THAT WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT.

>>ABSOLUTELY.

AND THINGS THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED HERE ON THE PROGRAM IN THE PAST.

THERE'S SUCH A SIGNIFICANT DISPARITY ALREADY WHEN IT COMES TO HEALTHCARE FOR BLACK AND HISPANIC COMMUNITIES.

AND SO THIS IS CERTAINLY GOING TO FURTHER IMPACT THAT.

>>YEAH, WE HOSTED A SPECIAL PROGRAM SOME MONTHS AGO TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THAT.

I MEAN, WE HEARD, TALIA, FROM JENNIE JOSEPH SORT OF TALKING ABOUT SPECIFICALLY THE DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACTS ON UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

THAT'S A REAL CONCERN AMONGST WOMEN'S ADVOCATES.

>>YEAH.

IT IS AND TO SPEAK TO WHAT DARALENE WAS SAYING, BLACK AND HISPANIC WOMEN HAVE TRADITIONALLY ALREADY FACED HIGHER COSTS IN HEALTHCARE.

NOW THERE'S ALSO THIS CONCERN ABOUT THE LOGISTICS OF EVEN GETTING REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE.

DO YOU HAVE THE MEANS FOR TRANSPORTATION THERE?

DO YOU HAVE THE MEANS TO TAKE TIME OUT IF YOU NEED TO TRAVEL ELSEWHERE TO GET AN ABORTION?

THERE'S ALSO BEEN SOME EXPERTS SAYING THAT WOMEN WHO ARE ALREADY LOW INCOME COULD FACE POTENTIAL LIFETIME FINANCIAL STRUGGLES IF THEY'RE FORCED TO KEEP THEIR BABY.

>>YEAH.

HOW MUCH OF THIS IS HISTORIC, DARALENE, IN TERMS OF HOW BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE ARE TREATED IN THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM?

>>IT IS MONUMENTAL, STEVE, AND IT COMPOUNDS WHAT ALREADY EXISTS IN THESE COMMUNITIES WHEN IT COMES TO DISPROPORTIONATE CARE.

AND WHAT'S EVEN MORE CONCERNING FOR SOME PEOPLE IN BLACK AND HISPANIC COMMUNITIES IS THAT THEIR VOICE, THEIR VOICES, ARE NOT BEING HEARD WHEN IT COMES TO THE CONCERNS THEY ALREADY HAVE ABOUT GETTING APPROPRIATE HEALTHCARE AND THIS COMPOUNDS THAT.

>>TALIA, AS CHABELI SAID, WOMEN ARE TRAVELING INTO OUR STATE FROM OTHER PLACES IN THE SOUTH LIKE ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI, WHERE IT'S VERY DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY NOW, TO GET AN ABORTION.

IS THERE A SENSE OF CONFUSION, DO YOU THINK, ABOUT WHERE ABORTION IS AVAILABLE, AT WHAT POINT, WHAT TIME, GIVEN THIS RULING?

>>YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

PLANNED PARENTHOOD, WE ACTUALLY SPOKE TO PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL FLORIDA AND THEIR SPOKESPERSON SAID THAT THEY'RE RECEIVING A LOT OF CALLS ON WHETHER PATIENTS STILL HAVE AN APPOINTMENT, IF THEY HAVE ACCESS TO MEDICATION ABORTIONS, WHICH USUALLY INVOLVES TAKING A PILL TO TERMINATE A PREGNANCY, WHETHER THEY CAN EVEN HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR BIRTH CONTROL.

THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION ON WHAT CAN I AS A PATIENT DO NOW, IF I'M STILL LOOKING FOR THIS KIND OF HEALTHCARE.

>>YEAH.

PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT IN FLORIDA IT'S STILL PERMITTED.

DARALENE, BOTH OF THE INTERVIEWEES WE HEARD AT THE TOP OF THE PROGRAM, ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS DEBATE, BOTH POINTED TO A LACK OF CARE FOR WOMEN ONCE THEY'VE GIVEN BIRTH TO THE CHILD.

FIRST OF ALL, A LACK OF PRENATAL CARE AND A LACK OF CARE POSTPARTUM.

I MEAN, THAT IS AN ISSUE, ISN'T IT, THAT THIS COUNTRY HAS BROADLY SPEAKING AS JENNIE JOSEPH REFERRED TO?

>>IT IS INDEED.

AND I'LL BE QUITE FRANK, THERE'S A WIDER GAP WHEN IT COMES TO LOWER INCOME COMMUNITIES.

BUT OVERALL, I CAN SPEAK AS TO MOM OF THREE CHILDREN MYSELF, IF YOU DON'T HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE IN THIS COUNTRY, GETTING PROPER HEALTHCARE, IT'S A PROBLEM.

AND IT'S A PROBLEM WITH HEALTHCARE.

AND SO IMAGINE WHAT IT IS WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE PROPER HEALTHCARE.

AND SO THESE GAPS THAT WE CONTINUE TO CREATE WITHIN OUR COUNTRY, IT JUST CREATES, IT'S A RIPPLE EFFECT IN ALL ASPECTS OF OUR LIVES.

>>A RIPPLE EFFECT, FOR SURE.

WELL, WE WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THIS HISTORIC MOMENT IN AMERICA.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

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

>>OKAY.

WELL, NEXT TONIGHT, LET'S DRILL DOWN ON THE POLITICS OF ALL THIS IN FLORIDA AND WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN NEXT IN OUR STATE.

FIRST, LET'S HEAR FROM ORLANDO DEMOCRATIC STATE REPRESENTATIVE, ANNA ESKAMANI WHO WORKED FOR PLANNED PARENTHOOD BEFORE RUNNING FOR OFFICE.

>>ABORTION BANS ARE PART OF A DECADES LONG EFFORT TO COMPLETELY ELIMINATE ACCESS TO SAFE LEGAL ABORTION IN THIS COUNTRY.

AND INDEED ANTI-ABORTION EXTREMISTS HAVE ALREADY SAID THEIR NEXT STEP IS A TEXAS-LIKE ABORTION BAN IN FLORIDA.

AND SO IT DOESN'T STOP AT 15 WEEKS, IT STARTS.

AND THAT'S WHY HOLDING THE LINE, EXPRESSING OUR OPPOSITION, AND ALSO AMPLIFYING THE PERSONAL STORIES OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE MADE THE DECISION TO END A PREGNANCY, IN SOME CASES AFTER 15 WEEKS, IS SO IMPORTANT, BECAUSE THESE ARE ALSO SOME OF THE MOST PAINFUL SITUATIONS OF FOLKS WHO WANT TO BECOME PARENTS, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEIR OWN HEALTH, THE HEALTH OF THE PREGNANCY, THEY WERE UNABLE TO DO SO.

ROE WAS NEVER THE CEILING.

IT WAS THE FLOOR.

AND I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE NOT LOSE HOPE, THAT WE CONTINUE FIGHTING FOR OUR COLLECTIVE RIGHTS, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS AGREE THAT ABORTION SHOULD REMAIN SAFE AND LEGAL.

IT'S STATE POLITICIANS WHO OFTEN BENEFIT FROM VOTER SUPPRESSION AND GERRYMANDERED LINES WHO ARE DICTATING THIS AGENDA TO APPEAL TO A VERY EXTREME BASE OF VOTERS.

BUT I THINK VOTERS ARE BEGINNING TO REALIZE THAT YOU HAVE TO VOTE ON THESE ISSUES AND THAT THEY DO HAVE HUGE CONSEQUENCES AND YOUR DAUGHTER IS NOT GOING TO HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS THAT YOU'VE BEEN BLESSED TO HAVE.

BUT OVERARCHING, DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS, AND THOSE WITH NO POLITICAL AFFILIATION BELIEVE FIRMLY THAT DECISIONS ABOUT SOMEONE'S PREGNANCY SHOULD REMAIN BETWEEN THAT PERSON, THEIR FAMILY, THEIR DOCTOR, AND THEIR FAITH.

AND THOSE ARE THE COLLECTIVE VALUES THAT WE HOLD AS AMERICANS AND I THINK THAT'S ABSOLUTELY WORTH FIGHTING FOR.

>>ANNA ESKAMANI ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE THERE.

NEXT, LET'S HEAR FROM VOLUSIA COUNTY REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN MIKE WALTZ.

>>IT'S IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO REMEMBER THAT THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A FEDERAL LAW REGARDING ABORTION ONE WAY OR ANOTHER AND THAT'S WHY THIS COURT DECIDED THAT THE ROE VERSUS WADE DECISION BACK IN THE '70S WAS AN OVERREACH, CONSTITUTIONALLY.

THE COURTS DO NOT DECIDE LAWS.

AND I THINK THE IMPORTANT PART THERE IS THAT VOTERS GET TO DECIDE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

IF THIS IS A CRITICAL ISSUE FOR THEM, IF THEY BELIEVE LIFE BEGINS AT 15 WEEKS VERSUS 24 VERSUS 28, THEN THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY SHOULD EXERCISE IN THE BALLOT BOX FOR THEIR STATE REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS.

I THINK YOU'RE SEEING A SUPREME COURT THAT DOES ITS BEST TO ABIDE BY THE LETTER OF THE CONSTITUTION RATHER THAN INTERPRETING AND BASICALLY KIND OF LEGISLATING FROM THE BENCH.

COURTS ARE THERE TO INTERPRET THE LAWS LEGISLATURES PASS, NOT BASICALLY BACK US INTO A LAW THROUGH A RULING.

SO WHEN PEOPLE SAY THAT ROE VERSUS WADE WAS THE LAW OF THE LAND, THERE ACTUALLY IS NO LAW OF THE LAND AT A FEDERAL LEVEL.

AND THAT ACTUALLY, AS A CONSERVATIVE, I THINK WE'RE ABSOLUTELY PLEASED TO SEE.

I THINK FLORIDA IS IN A REASONABLE PLACE.

I MEAN, THE SCIENCE HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY SINCE THE 1970S.

WE KNOW NOW, AGAIN, WHEN A UNBORN CHILD FEELS PAIN, WE KNOW WHEN IT HAS A HEARTBEAT, WE KNOW WHEN IT'S REACTING TO VARIOUS TYPES OF STIMULUSES.

AND I THINK THAT'S A REASONABLE PLACE THAT THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE HAS ENDED UP, BUT IF THEY HEAR SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM THEIR CONSTITUENTS, THEN I EXPECT THEM TO RESPOND TO THAT.

>>WELL, WE WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT WE ARE RECORDING THIS SHOW ON THURSDAY MORNING, SO THINGS CAN CHANGE BY AIRTIME.

TALIA, FLORIDA HAS A NEW ABORTION LAW THAT IS DUE TO COME INTO EFFECT ON JULY 1ST.

AS DARALENE MENTIONED EARLIER IN THE PROGRAM, THIS IS BEING CHALLENGED IN COURT.

WHAT IS THE BASIS FOR THAT CHALLENGE?

>>RIGHT.

SO ADVOCATES OF ABORTION ARE BASICALLY SAYING THAT FLORIDA, THE STATE CONSTITUTION ALREADY PROVIDES BROADER PROTECTIONS THAN THE US CONSTITUTION UNDER A CERTAIN PRIVACY CLAUSE AND THAT THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT ALREADY SAID THAT RIGHT TO ABORTION FALLS UNDERNEATH THAT PRIVACY CLAUSE, SO THAT THIS LAW IS VIOLATING THAT RIGHT.

>>AND CERTAINLY, AS WE KNOW IN FLORIDA, THE CONSTITUTION CAN BE CHANGED, BUT WE'LL KEEP AN EYE ON WHAT THE JUDGE SAYS.

AGAIN, WE'RE TAPING THIS ON THURSDAY MORNING.

THERE COULD BE A RULING FROM THE BENCH BEFORE WE HEAR THIS PROGRAM.

DARALENE, LET ME READ YOU THIS HEADLINE FROM THE WASHINGTON POST.

"FLORIDA EMERGES AS A KEY BATTLEGROUND IN STATE BY STATE ABORTION FIGHT.

ACTIVISTS ON BOTH SIDES WILL BE WATCHING DESANTIS AS ELECTION NEARS."

FLORIDA, DARALENE, IS NOW BEING WATCHED SORT OF NATIONWIDE AS SORT OF A TEST CASE OF WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN NEXT.

OUR STATE, ONCE AGAIN, IN THE FOCUS.

>>ABSOLUTELY.

AND IT CERTAINLY, YOU CAN BET, PROBABLY GOING TO BE A HIGH STAKES AGENDA ITEM NOT ONLY IN THE NEXT ELECTION, BUT AS GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS LOOKS TOWARD HIS FUTURE.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR HIS FUTURE AS A POLITICIAN?

WE'VE TALKED ON THIS SHOW PREVIOUSLY ABOUT HIS PLANS TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT, BUT AS YOU HEARD, ANNA ESKAMANI POINT OUT, THERE ARE PEOPLE, REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS, PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES, WHO FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR MEDICAL CARE.

AND SO IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW ALL OF THAT PLAYS OUT.

>>ANOTHER THING THAT IS TRULY INTERESTING ABOUT FLORIDA'S 15 WEEK BAN IS THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT FLORIDA HAD ALREADY PUT IN PLACE AND SOME SAW IT AS LIKE THE STATE TEEING UP WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS GOING TO COME IN TERMS OF THIS US SUPREME COURT.

>>IT WAS KIND OF BASED ON THAT MISSISSIPPI LAW.

>>ABSOLUTELY.

>>THAT THE SUPREME COURT WAS RULING ON, RIGHT?

>>ABSOLUTELY.

AND SO WHAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE WATCHING IS WHETHER OR NOT FLORIDA WILL TAKE THIS A STEP FURTHER.

AND IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO WATCH IT VERY CLOSELY, BECAUSE AS YOU SEE, EVEN THOUGH FLORIDA STILL ALLOWS ABORTION, YOU SEE PEOPLE OUT THERE PROTESTING ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS SO IMAGINE WHAT THE STAKES ARE GOING TO BE IF FLORIDA STARTS TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION.

>>YEAH, CERTAINLY THE GOVERNOR HAS NOT SAID MUCH ABOUT THIS RULING.

GENERALLY, HE HASN'T SAID MUCH ABOUT ABORTION.

HERE'S A STATEMENT HE PUT OUT LAST WEEK.

>>"THE PRAYERS OF MILLIONS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.

FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS THE US SUPREME COURT HAS PROHIBITED VIRTUALLY ANY MEANINGFUL PRO-LIFE PROTECTION, BUT THIS WAS NOT GROUNDED IN THE TEXT, HISTORY, OR STRUCTURE OF THE CONSTITUTION.

BY PROPERLY INTERPRETING THE CONSTITUTION, THE DOBBS MAJORITY HAS RESTORED THE PEOPLE'S ROLE IN OUR REPUBLIC AND A SENSE OF HOPE THAT EVERY LIFE COUNTS.

FLORIDA WILL CONTINUE TO DEFEND ITS RECENTLY ENACTED PRO-LIFE REFORMS AGAINST STATE COURT CHALLENGES, WILL WORK TO EXPAND PRO-LIFE PROTECTIONS, AND WILL STAND FOR LIFE BY PROMOTING ADOPTION, FOSTER CARE, AND CHILD WELFARE."

ALL RIGHT, DARALENE, I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU TAKE AWAY FROM THE GOVERNOR'S STATEMENT THERE?

I MEAN, DO YOU AGREE WITH THE WASHINGTON POST THAT GOVERNOR DESANTIS' FORTUNES COULD BE COMPLICATED IN FLORIDA, IF IT BECOMES THE EPICENTER OF AN ABORTION BATTLE?

>>IT IS CERTAINLY GOING TO COMPLICATE HIS AGENDA A GREAT DEAL, BECAUSE PART OF HIS BASE IS, AGAIN, PART OF THE POPULATION THAT SAYS, "WAIT, I AGREE WITH YOU ON EVERYTHING OVER HERE, BUT WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT MY BODY AND MY RIGHTS WHEN IT COMES TO MY HEALTHCARE, NOW THAT'S A DIFFERENT CAN OF WORMS."

AND OF NOTE, FLORIDA PASSED THIS, WELL, THIS 15 WEEK BAN WILL GO INTO EFFECT, EXPECTED TO GO INTO EFFECT THIS WEEK, A MAJORITY OF THE ABORTIONS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, I THINK IN 2019, THERE WAS SOMETHING LIKE 70,000 ABORTIONS.

A MAJORITY OF THEM HAPPENED PRIOR TO THAT 15 WEEKS.

ONLY ABOUT 2% HAPPENED AFTER THAT.

>>INTERESTING.

>>AND SO AS YOU HEARD THE GOVERNOR SAY, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE.

I THINK WE ARE PROBABLY GOING TO SEE THE STATE MOVING TOWARD LOOKING TO SEE WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE WITHOUT ROCKING THE BOAT.

>>THE WORDS, SPECIAL SESSION, HAVE BEEN MENTIONED.

WE LOVE SPECIAL SESSIONS HERE IN FLORIDA, DON'T WE?

BUT I MEAN, GIVEN THAT DARALENE ALLUDED TO THIS HERE, GIVEN THAT THIS IS AN ELECTION YEAR, IT'S UNLIKELY TO HAPPEN BEFORE NOVEMBER?

>>YEAH.

IT'S HIGHLY UNLIKELY.

STUDIES SHOW THAT ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF FLORIDIANS ACTUALLY SUPPORT ABORTION ACCESS OR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE.

SO IF A LAWMAKER WANTS TO CONSTRICT IT FURTHER, IT JUST WOULDN'T REALLY BENEFIT THEM IN THIS UPCOMING ELECTION.

>>DARALENE, THE SCOTUS OPINION POINTED TO OTHER PREVIOUS PRECEDENTS, AND MAYBE THIS IS A PLACE TO CLOSE, IT'S A BIG QUESTION THAT WE COULD SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT, OTHER PREVIOUS PRECEDENTS SET BY THE COURT ON THINGS LIKE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE.

ARE SOME PEOPLE CONCERNED THAT WE COULD SEE OTHER RIGHTS ROLLED BACK DURING THE PERIOD OF THIS COURT?

>>THAT DISCUSSION HAS ALREADY STARTED, AND IN FACT IT WAS ALLUDED TO IN THE OPINION, IN THE SUPREME COURT DECISION.

>>JUSTICE ALITO, YEAH.

>>IT WAS CERTAINLY ALLUDED TO, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LGBTQ RIGHTS.

AND I BELIEVE THERE WAS ALSO SOME REPUBLICAN FEDERAL LAWMAKERS OPINING ABOUT THE IDEA OF EVEN LOOKING AT BROWN VERSUS BOARD OF EDUCATION.

AND SO IT WILL CERTAINLY BE SOMETHING TO WATCH.

IT'S OF NOTE, IT'S OF INTEREST, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT IT AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS.

>>CERTAINLY A MOMENT OF SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY AND WE'LL BE WATCHING IT HERE ON THE PROGRAM.

AND YOU CAN FIND ALL TONIGHT'S INTERVIEWS ON OUR WEBSITE.

VISIT US AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

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

MY THANKS TO DARALENE JONES AND TALIA BLAKE.

THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING IN.

REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

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

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT, TAKE CARE.