>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, FLORIDA LAWMAKERS TAKE STEPS TO RESTRICT DISCUSSION OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CLASSROOMS.

AND A FEDERAL DECISION TO WITHDRAW TWO MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY THERAPIES SHUTTERS FLORIDA'S TREATMENT CENTERS.

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO, I'M STEVE MORT.

WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT WHERE WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG STORIES IMPACTING CENTRAL FLORIDA AND HOW THEY AFFECT YOU.

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

JOINING US THIS WEEK IN THE STUDIO, NADEEN YANES FROM WKMG CHANNEL SIX.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR COMING IN.

AND STEVE LEMONGELLO WHO WRITES ABOUT POLITICS FOR THE ORLANDO SENTINEL.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.

REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

>>HAPPY TO BE HERE.

>>YEAH.

>>ALL RIGHT.

FIRST TONIGHT, FLORIDA THIS WEEK SHUT DOWN IT'S MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY TREATMENT CENTERS.

IT CAME AFTER THE FDA RESCINDED EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATIONS FOR TWO TREATMENTS MADE BY REGENERON AND ELI LILLY.

>>IN A STATEMENT THE FDA SAYS, BECAUSE DATA SHOW THESE TREATMENTS ARE HIGHLY UNLIKELY TO BE ACTIVE AGAINST THE OMICRON VARIANT, WHICH IS CIRCULATING AT A VERY HIGH FREQUENCY THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.

THESE TREATMENTS ARE NOT AUTHORIZED FOR USE IN ANY US STATES, TERRITORIES, AND JURISDICTIONS.

AT THIS TIME IN THE FUTURE, IF PATIENTS IN CERTAIN GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS ARE LIKELY TO BE INFECTED OR EXPOSED TO A VARIANT THAT IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO THESE TREATMENTS, THEN USE OF THESE TREATMENTS MAY BE AUTHORIZED IN THESE REGIONS.

IN FLORIDA, OMICRON IS THE PREDOMINANT VARIANT, BUT GOVERNOR DESANTIS IS LASHING OUT AT THE MOVE, DISPUTING THE FDA'S EVIDENCE.

>>THIS IS NOT BASED ON A CLINICAL TRIAL.

THIS IS NOT EVEN PEER REVIEWED.

AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY CLAIM SHOULDN'T BE USED BECAUSE WE HAVE OMICRON.

AND WHAT WE WOULD SAY IN FLORIDA IS WE HAVE HAD PEOPLE USE IT, AND WE'VE HAD GOOD RESULTS.

IT'S REALLY A RECKLESS DECISION.

>>THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS RESPONDING TO GOVERNOR DESANTIS CLAIMS.

IN A TWEET, A SPOKESMAN FOR US HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES WROTE ONE, THE TWO MONOCLONAL DRUGS HE'S TALKING ABOUT DON'T WORK AGAINST OMICRON, 99% OF FLORIDA CASES.

THE DRUG MAKERS THEMSELVES SAY SO.

TWO, NEW CDC CLINICAL DATA SHOW BOOSTER SHOTS REDUCE THE RISK OF HOSPITALIZATION BY 90%.

WILL THE GOV FOLLOW CLINICAL DATA AND ENCOURAGE BOOSTERS TO SAVE LIVES?

AND AT THE WHITE HOUSE MORE PUSHBACK.

>>WHAT THE FDA IS MAKING CLEAR IS THAT THESE TREATMENTS, THE ONES THAT THEY ARE FIGHTING OVER, THAT THE GOVERNOR IS FIGHTING OVER, DO NOT WORK AGAINST OMICRON.

AND THEY HAVE SIDE EFFECTS.

THAT IS WHAT THE SCIENTISTS ARE SAYING.

WE HAVE SENT THEM 71,000 DOSES OF TREATMENTS THAT ARE EFFECTIVE AGAINST OMICRON AND ARE EFFECTIVE ALSO AGAINST DELTA.

AND THEY ARE STILL ADVOCATING FOR TREATMENTS THAT DON'T WORK.

>>WELL YOU CAN READ FOR YOURSELF THE STATEMENTS FROM THE STATE, REGENERON, AND THE FDA ON OUR WEBSITE, WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

STEVE, THIS HAS BECOME REALLY POLITICAL- >>YES.

>>REALLY QUICKLY.

WHAT DO THE MANUFACTURERS THEMSELVES, ELI LILLY AND REGENERON, SAY.

>>YES.

WELL, THE ODD PART OF ALL THIS IS THE MANUFACTURERS THEMSELVES.

REGENERON, ELI LILLY PUT OUT STATEMENTS ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY SAYING, YES, STUDIES HAVE SHOWN, THE STUDIES SHOWED THAT THIS IS PRETTY MUCH NOT EFFECTIVE AGAINST OMICRON.

WE AGREE WITH THE FDA'S DECISION.

WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE OTHER THINGS.

AND YET DESANTIS WHO HAS MADE THESE MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY TREATMENTS, ESSENTIALLY THE CENTERPIECE OF HIS ENTIRE COVID POLICY.

FAR MORE THAN VACCINES, WHICH HE REALLY HASN'T, WHICH REALLY HASN'T, SPEAKING OF BOOSTING, WHICH HE REALLY HASN'T PUSHED IN LIKE ABOUT A YEAR.

SO HE'S JUST ESSENTIALLY HOLDING ONTO THIS AS MUCH AS HE CAN AND IS TRYING TO POLITICIZE THIS AS MUCH AS HE CAN, FRANKLY.

>>I MEAN THE GOVERNOR APPEARED WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO'D HAD THEIR MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY TREATMENTS CANCELED AT AN EVENT.

I THINK THEY WERE REMOTE, BUT THAT HE WAS AT AN EVENT IN MIAMI.

WHAT DOES THE FDA'S ANNOUNCEMENT, NADEEN, FOR NOW, MEAN FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE SEEKING THESE MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY TREATMENTS.

>>I MEAN, ESSENTIALLY THEY CLOSED OVERNIGHT.

ALL OF THE STATEWIDE SITES CLOSED OVERNIGHT.

ABOUT 2000 APPOINTMENTS WERE CANCELED.

THAT WAS WHERE THE GOVERNOR WAS REALLY UPSET ABOUT.

BUT LIKE YOU JUST HEARD IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEIR OPTIONS AREN'T THERE FOR MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY TREATMENTS.

THERE'S REMDESIVIR.

THERE'S SOTROVIMAB.

>>SOTROVIMAB, YES.

>>YES, EXACTLY.

I KNEW I WAS GOING TO GET THAT.

>>YEAH.

>>BUT THOSE ARE TWO OPTIONS THAT ARE STILL WORKING.

AND SOTROVIMAB ACTUALLY IS PROVEN TO WORK PRETTY WELL AGAINST OMICRON AT THIS POINT.

AND SO YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME COUNTY RUN SITES, FOR EXAMPLE, TRUE HEALTH IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SEMINOLE COUNTY, THEY'RE STILL OFFERING THESE TREATMENTS.

THE BIG ONES THOUGH, REGENERON AND ELI LILLY, AREN'T AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW.

THAT EUA WAS PULLED.

>>IMPORTANT TO NOTE MAYOR JERRY DEMINGS, DEMOCRAT HERE, HE ACTUALLY GOT MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY TREATMENTS.

HE TESTED POSITIVE A FEW WEEKS AGO.

HE SAID, HE'S ALSO TRIPLE VACCINATED.

HE WANTED TO USE ALL OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO HIM.

I ASKED HIM PERSONALLY, DOES HE FEEL LIKE IT WORKED FOR HIM?

HE SAID HE COULDN'T TELL.

BUT HE GOT IT DONE.

AND IT IS AN OPTION THAT PEOPLE WANT TO USE, WHETHER YOU'RE DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN, AND THERE'S STILL OPTIONS OUT THERE.

>>DID HE SAY WHICH ONE HE GOT?

>>HE GOT REGENERON.

AND ULTIMATELY HE'S DOING OKAY.

AND HE SAID AT THE END OF THE DAY, HE DIDN'T HAVE TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL.

IT WAS MILD SYMPTOMS.

AND HE DOESN'T KNOW IF IT WAS THE REGENERON OR IF IT WAS THE TRIPLE VACCINATED, HE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE HE WAS TAKEN CARE OF.

>>WANTED TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNEW THAT HE'D HAD IT AS WELL.

STEVE, I MEAN, THE STATE, AS YOU MENTIONED, HAS BASED ITS COVID STRATEGY HEAVILY ON MONOCLONALS.

DID WE GET ANY INDICATION FROM THE SURGEON GENERAL JOSEPH LADAPO DURING HIS CONFIRMATION HEARING THIS WEEK ON WHETHER THERE'S GOING TO BE ANY CHANGE IN STRATEGY NOW?

AND IT WAS A PRETTY HEATED HEARING RIGHT?

IN THE SENATE COMMITTEE.

>>YES.

WELL, LADAPO HAS BEEN NOTORIOUS FOR NOT SAYING, FOR ESSENTIALLY DOWNPLAYING VACCINES MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, EVER SINCE HE WAS NAMED SURGEON GENERAL, EVEN BEFORE THAT.

AND ESSENTIALLY YESTERDAY HE WAS ASKED MULTIPLE TIMES, BY DEMOCRATS, DO YOU THINK THAT THESE VACCINES HELP PREVENT COVID?

AND HE JUST, HE WOULD NOT ANSWER THE QUESTION.

AND BASICALLY AT THE STATE LEVEL WITH DESANTIS AND LADAPO, PUSHING FOR VACCINES HAS SIMPLY NOT BEEN A THING THEY'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST, EVER SINCE MAY.

THERE WAS A STRONG PUSH LAST YEAR WITH THE FIRST COUPLE OF SHOTS.

AND THEN EVER SINCE, HE REALLY HAS NOT BEEN PUSHING THAT AT ANY LEVEL HERE IN THE STATE AND HAS BASICALLY BEEN LIKE PUSHING ONLY MONOCLONALS.

>>THE DEMOCRATS CERTAINLY FELT THAT THEY WEREN'T GETTING THE ANSWERS THAT THEY WANTED IN THAT HEARING.

AND IN FACT, ABSTAINED FROM VOTING- >>YEAH.

WALKED OUT.

>>FOR HIS CONFIRMATION.

I MEAN, STEVE, I MEAN, AS NADEEN MENTIONED, FLORIDA IS BEING SENT DOSES OF ALTERNATE MONOCLONAL TREATMENTS, ANTIVIRAL PILLS AS WELL, THAT THE FDA SAY HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO BE EFFECTIVE AGAINST OMICRON.

WHAT DOES THE STATE SAY ABOUT THAT?

>>NOT REALLY, NOT MUCH AT THE MOMENT.

RIGHT NOW, DESANTIS' ENTIRE THING RIGHT NOW IS GOING AFTER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OVER THESE TWO SPECIFIC DRUGS.

THESE TWO SPECIFIC DRUGS HAVE BEEN THE ONES HE HAS BEEN STRONGLY PUSHING OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.

AND IN FACT, EVEN YESTERDAY, DESANTIS MENTIONED THE MERCK PILL THAT'S BEING DEVELOPED AGAINST OMICRON.

HE SAID HE LOOKED AT THE STUDY, AND HIS QUOTE ON THAT WAS "YIKES."

SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH HE'LL BE PUSHING THAT WHEN THAT COMES TO APPLY.

>>YEAH.

CERTAINLY WE'VE SEEN THE ADMIN, THE DESANTIS ADMINISTRATION SAY THAT MAYBE SOME OF THESE MEDICATIONS ARE NOT AS EFFECTIVE AS THE FDA HAS BEEN SAYING.

AND NADEEN, IT SEEMS FLORIDA ALSO HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE WAY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATED WITH IT ABOUT THIS DECISION.

WHAT'S THEIR COMPLAINT THERE?

>>YEAH.

I MEAN THE ADMINISTRATION, THE DESANTIS ADMINISTRATION BASICALLY SAID THAT IT WAS JUST ABRUPT.

IT WAS RECKLESS.

IT WAS OVERNIGHT.

LIKE AGAIN, THEY LITERALLY HAD TO CLOSE ALL THE STATEWIDE SITES OVERNIGHT.

2000 PEOPLE LEFT IN THE DUST, WHO WERE SEEKING THESE TREATMENTS.

BUT STEVE HAD MENTIONED, THIS IS REALLY CENTRAL TO DESANTIS' RESPONSE TO COVID 19.

AND SO IF IT'S GOING TO BE ATTACKED IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM, HE'S GOING TO BE QUITE VOCAL ABOUT IT.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE SEEN SINCE THE CLOSING OF THESE SITES, BUT HE FELT LIKE IT WAS RECKLESS.

AND THE STATE ALSO TOLD MY COLLEAGUE, LAUREN CERVANTES, WHO WAS COVERING THIS, THAT THEY FELT THE GOVERNMENT WASN'T TALKING ABOUT THE OTHER AVAILABLE MONOCLONAL TREATMENTS EITHER.

LIKE THEY JUST COMPLETELY PUT ASIDE MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY TREATMENTS, AND FELT LIKE THAT IS STILL A VIABLE OPTION.

>>HENCE, IT'S BECOME VERY POLITICAL VERY QUICKLY FOR SURE.

>>ABSOLUTELY.

YES.

>>AND BE SURE TO JOIN THIS CONVERSATION ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES AS WELL.

WE'RE AT WUCF TV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT TONIGHT, A BUSY WEEK FOR EDUCATION POLICY IN FLORIDA.

LET'S START WITH A BILL BEING CONSIDERED BY LAWMAKERS, WHICH HAS SPARKED CONDEMNATION FROM LGBTQ CAMPAIGNERS.

HB 1557, DESCRIBED BY SOME AS THE DON'T SAY GAY BILL, WOULD PROHIBIT SCHOOL DISTRICTS FROM ENCOURAGING CLASSROOM DISCUSSION ABOUT SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY IN PRIMARY GRADE LEVELS.

HERE'S THE BILL'S SPONSOR, REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE JOE HARDING.

>>CONVERSATIONS HAPPEN.

CHILDREN ARE GOING TO BRING UP CONVERSATIONS.

THEY'RE GOING TO ASK UNCOMFORTABLE QUESTIONS.

THAT IS WHAT THEY DO.

AND SO THOSE QUESTIONS AND THOSE DISCUSSIONS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN.

SO THIS DOESN'T PRECLUDE DISCUSSION AND CONVERSATION THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A SCHOOL DISTRICT INITIATING SOMETHING THROUGH A STANDARD PROCEDURE OR A POLICY THAT THEY'RE DOING, WHETHER IT'S A QUESTIONNAIRE OR A PIECE OF CURRICULUM OR SOMETHING THEY'RE INITIATING TO START THE CONVERSATION.

>>ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET'S HEAR FROM THE OTHER SIDE ON THIS ISSUE, OPPONENTS SAY THE PROPOSAL WOULD STIFLE CLASSROOM CONVERSATIONS ABOUT LGBTQ PEOPLE.

I SPOKE THIS WEEK WITH BRANDON WOLF FROM EQUALITY FLORIDA.

>>WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BANNING OF DISCUSSION OF LGBTQ PEOPLE AS A PART OF THE FABRIC OF SOCIETY, RIGHT?

WE WOULDN'T DO THAT.

IT WOULDN'T SEEM NORMAL TO US TO DO THAT FOR ANY OTHER PROTECTED GROUP.

CAN YOU IMAGINE US SAYING THAT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT BLACK FOLKS ARE ONES TO BE HAD BY PARENTS, NOT TO BE TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS.

THAT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT DISABLED FOLKS OR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, RIGHT?

THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD DO.

IT'S NOT REASONABLE.

AND THE SAME IS TRUE FOR LGBTQ PEOPLE.

OUR EXISTENCE IS NOT TABOO.

OUR EXISTENCE IS NOT INAPPROPRIATE OR SOMETHING TO BE HIDDEN AWAY.

AND THE EFFECT IS THAT LGBTQ KIDS IN THE CLASSROOM, IF THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE BANNED, WILL NOT SEE REPRESENTATION IN THEIR CURRICULUM.

THEY WON'T SEE REPRESENTATION IN CONVERSATIONS IN THE CLASSROOM.

PEOPLE WITH LGBTQ PARENTS WON'T SEE THEIR FAMILIES REPRESENTED IN CONVERSATIONS.

WE DESERVE TO BE CELEBRATED AND RECOGNIZED AND TALKED ABOUT JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE IN SOCIETY.

>>WELL, THE BILL'S SPONSOR REPRESENTATIVE JOE HARDING SAYS THIS DOESN'T PRECLUDE CONVERSATIONS.

IT JUST ENSURES THE SCHOOL DOESN'T PROACTIVELY ENCOURAGE IT FOR CHILDREN OF A CERTAIN AGE.

>>WELL, I WOULD ARGUE THAT THE BILL IS QUITE UNCLEAR ABOUT THE DEFINITION OF THESE TERMS.

WHAT DOES ENCOURAGE MEAN?

THE BILL SAYS THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS CAN'T ENCOURAGE DISCUSSION OF GENDER IDENTITY OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

DOES THAT MEAN THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS CAN NO LONGER CELEBRATE WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH BECAUSE BEING A WOMAN IS A GENDER IDENTITY?

DOES THAT MEAN THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS CAN NO LONGER CELEBRATE PRIDE MONTH AND TEACH LGBTQ HISTORY DURING THAT MONTH?

DOES THAT MEAN THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS LIKE ORANGE COUNTY, FOR INSTANCE, CAN NO LONGER TALK ABOUT THE PULSE NIGHTCLUB SHOOTING BECAUSE IN ORDER TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT HAPPENED AT PULSE, YOU HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE IDENTITIES OF PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE.

SO I WOULD ARGUE THAT THE BILL IS QUITE VAGUE AND WE ARE NOT CLEAR ON WHAT ENCOURAGING CONVERSATION LOOKS LIKE.

WE ARE NOT EXACTLY SURE TO WHAT DEGREE THESE CONVERSATIONS COULD OR COULD NOT HAPPEN.

AND I THINK THE IMPACT WOULD BE THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS SIMPLY DON'T TALK ABOUT LGBTQ PEOPLE AT ALL, BECAUSE THEY'RE CONCERNED THAT PARENTS MIGHT SUE OVER IT.

>>THE TWO SIDES OF THE DISCUSSION THERE.

WELL, WE'LL TALK WITH TWO MEMBERS OF THE FLORIDA HOUSE ABOUT THIS AND OTHER EDUCATION ISSUES A LITTLE LATER.

SO STEVE, I MEAN, SUPPORTERS OF HB 1557 SAY THIS IS ABOUT PARENTAL RIGHTS, RIGHT?

I MEAN DOES THIS BUILD ON THE PARENTAL RIGHTS DEBATE THAT WE SAW OVER THE LAST YEAR WITH MASKS?

>>YEAH.

BEFORE THE SPECIAL SESSION, ESSENTIALLY THE DESANTIS ADMINISTRATION'S REASONING FOR PREVENTING SCHOOLS FROM BEING ABLE TO IMPOSE A MASK MANDATES WAS BASED ON THE PARENTAL BILL OF RIGHTS THAT WAS PASSED LAST YEAR.

AND SO DESANTIS HAS SAID, HE WANTS TO STRENGTHEN THAT THIS YEAR.

AND I GUESS THIS IS A PART OF THAT.

SO, YEAH, PARENTAL RIGHTS IS GOING TO BE A, QUOTE UNQUOTE, PARENTAL RIGHT IS GOING TO BE A BIG THING FOR HIM THIS YEAR.

YOU'RE ALREADY SEEING IT AROUND THE COUNTRY.

THINGS LIKE VIRGINIA, PARENTAL RIGHTS WAS A VERY LARGE ISSUE THAT HELPED THE REPUBLICAN WIN THE GOVERNOR'S RACE THERE.

SO THIS SEEMS TO BE STEMMING OFF THAT.

>>CAN WRITE.

I MEAN, THE BILL, NADEEN, STOPS SCHOOL DISTRICTS FROM WITHHOLDING INFORMATION FROM PARENTS IN A NUMBER OF CIRCUMSTANCES.

THIS KIND OF CAUGHT MY EYE WHEN I READ THE BILL.

OPPONENTS SAY THAT MIGHT PUT LGBTQ STUDENTS AT RISK IN SOME CASES, IF PARENTS ARE BROUGHT INTO THAT DISCUSSION.

I MEAN, THAT'S, WHAT'S THE CONCERN THERE.

>>I MEAN THAT TEACHERS WOULD HAVE TO OUT THESE LGBTQ STUDENTS WHO MIGHT FEEL LIKE SCHOOL OR THEIR TEACHER IS A SAFE PLACE TO BE.

AND I THINK A LOT OF STUDENTS MIGHT FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH A TEACHER IN THEIR CLASSROOM.

AND I THINK THAT IS WHERE THE OPPONENTS OF THIS BILL SAY THAT IT IS.

AND THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED THE DON'T SAY GAY BILL.

I MEAN, THEY FEEL LIKE THIS IS GOING TO STIGMATIZE STUDENTS WHO MIGHT HAVE THAT BOND WITH THE TEACHER.

AND IF THAT TEACHER IS REQUIRED TO THEN BRING THE PARENTS INTO THAT, AND THIS IS ALREADY WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM EQUALITY FLORIDA, IS ALREADY SUICIDE IS HIGH AMONG TEENS AND THEN EVEN HIGHER AMONG LGBTQ STUDENTS.

SO THAT'S A BREAK IN THAT RELATIONSHIP THERE.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE CONCERN.

>>AND STEVE, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE REMEDIES FOR PARENTS.

I MEAN, THIS BILL WOULD ALLOW PARENTS TO PURSUE LEGAL ACTION, IF I READ THIS CORRECTLY, AGAINST A SCHOOL DISTRICT.

I MEAN, DESCRIBE THE PARENTAL RECOURSE THAT IT OUTLINES.

>>YEAH.

THIS ALL SEEMS TO BE BASED ON THE ABORTION BILL IN TEXAS THAT WAS PASSED CONTROVERSIALLY LAST YEAR, WHERE IT'S NOT ON THE STATE TO ENFORCE IT.

IT'S ON, IT'S UP TO, AND THAT'S HOW IT GOT THROUGH THE COURTS, THE STATE'S NOT ENFORCING IT, QUOTE UNQUOTE.

IT'S THE PARENTS WHO ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO, OR PEOPLE, REGULAR PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SUE AND GET THINGS DONE THAT WAY.

AND THAT'S GOING TO BE ESSENTIALLY THE METHOD HERE, PARENTS WILL BE ABLE TO SUE SCHOOL SYSTEMS IF THEY BELIEVE THAT THIS BILL IS NOT BEING ENFORCED.

>>I MEAN, REPUBLICANS DESCRIBED THIS, AS WE MENTIONED, AS A MATTER OF PARENTAL RIGHTS, BUT SOME DEMOCRATS SEE IT SORT OF AS ANOTHER FRONT IN THE CULTURE WARS.

>>RIGHT.

>>RIGHT.

I MEAN, DO OTHER STATES HAVE SIMILAR LAWS?

DO WE KNOW?

>>YES, WE DO.

THERE IS A GAY, LESBIAN, STRAIGHT EDUCATION NETWORK AND THEY TRACK THIS.

THEY TRACK WHAT THEY CALL THE NO PROMO HOMO BILLS.

AND THERE ARE FOUR STATES, TEXAS, LOUISIANA, OKLAHOMA, AND MISSISSIPPI THAT CURRENTLY HAVE VERY SIMILAR BILLS.

ALABAMA ACTUALLY HAD A BILL VERY SIMILAR TO THIS AND THEY RECENTLY REPEALED IT.

AND NOW THEY HAVE THREE MORE STATES IN 2021 KIND OF DOING THE SAME THING.

OH, YOU MENTIONED CULTURE WARS.

YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THE TRANSGENDER BILL THAT WAS ALSO LAST YEAR THAT KIND OF SWEPT THROUGH THE NATION.

A SOCIAL BILL THAT MANY REPUBLICANS WANTED TO GET PASSED, THAT ULTIMATELY MADE ITS WAY THROUGH FLORIDA AS WELL, WHEN IT WASN'T EVEN AN ISSUE.

SO, YES.

>>WELL, TALKING ABOUT THAT, THAT BILL, THAT LAW ON TRANS RIGHTS, I MEAN, THE ANNUAL, OR ON TRANS ATHLETES I SHOULD SAY, THE ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN STATE EQUALITY INDEX RELEASED RECENTLY FINDS THAT LEGISLATURES LAST YEAR SOUGHT MORE MEASURES THAN EVER BEFORE NATIONWIDE THAT SPECIFICALLY TARGETED THE LGBT COMMUNITY.

FLORIDA, HAS IT BEEN PART OF THAT TREND GENERALLY, STEVE?

AND REMIND US WHAT THAT BILL DOES, THE BILL ON TRANS ATHLETES.

>>YEAH.

THE TRANS ATHLETES BILL ESSENTIALLY PREVENTS ANYONE WHO WAS A TRANS ATHLETE, WHO WAS BORN OF ONE GENDER, FROM COMPETING AS THE GENDER THEY IDENTIFY AS.

THIS ESSENTIALLY WOULD PREVENT TRANS GIRLS FROM COMPETING IN LIKE GIRLS SPORTS AND VICE VERSA.

AND YEAH, FLORIDA HAS TICKED ONTO THAT LIST NOW BECAUSE OF THAT TRANS ATHLETES BILL.

YOU'RE SEEING MUCH MORE TRANS ATHLETES BILLS BEING PASSED ACROSS THE COUNTRY REALLY.

>>THAT WAS THE REAL THING THAT WAS SWEEPING THE NATION LAST YEAR.

AND NOW OF COURSE, YOU'RE SEEING NOW THESE MORE BILLS SORT OF LIKE THE DON'T SAY GAY BILL.

WHICH ARE SORT OF GETTING INTO THE OTHER THING OF, WHAT A LOT OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WHAT A LOT OF STATES ARE WANTING TO IN TERMS OF SAYING WHAT YOU CAN DO IN SCHOOLS.

>>AND CERTAINLY FLORIDA IN LINE WITH A LOT OF, SORT OF MORE CONSERVATIVE LEGISLATURES AROUND THE COUNTRY.

AND YOU CAN FIND MY FULL INTERVIEW WITH BRANDON WOLF OF EQUALITY FLORIDA ON OUR WEBSITE.

THERE, YOU'LL ALSO FIND A LINK TO HP 1557, PARENTAL RIGHTS AND EDUCATION, FOR YOURSELF TO READ.

IT'S ALL AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT OTHER EDUCATION ISSUES NOW THE EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATURE LAST WEEK PASSED A MEASURE TO TURN SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS INTO VOLUNTEERS.

IN ADDITION TO REMOVING SALARIES, THERE ARE ALSO EFFORTS TO IMPOSE TERM LIMITS, AND MAKE SCHOOL BOARD RACES IN FLORIDA PARTISAN.

WELL, I SPOKE TO TWO LAWMAKERS THIS WEEK ABOUT THIS AND OTHER ISSUES.

LET'S START WITH REPRESENTATIVE RANDY FINE, A REPUBLICAN FROM BREVARD COUNTY.

I STARTED BY ASKING HIM ABOUT THE ISSUE WE WERE JUST DISCUSSING, HB 1557 ON PARENTAL RIGHTS.

>>THE RESPONSIBILITY TO RAISE CHILDREN LIES WITH PARENTS, NOT WITH GOVERNMENT.

AND I THINK WHAT WE ARE IN IS THE, IN THE MIDST OF A FUNDAMENTAL DISAGREEMENT.

WHERE ON THE LEFT, THE LEFT BELIEVES CHILDREN ARE SUBJECTS OF GOVERNMENT, FOR GOVERNMENT TO DETERMINE WHAT THEY SHOULD LEARN AND HOW THEY SHOULD LEARN IT.

AND THOSE ON MY SIDE, BELIEVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS ARE TO BE HAD BETWEEN PARENTS AND CHILDREN.

>>WELL, CRITICS MIGHT RESPOND THAT WE DISCUSS OTHER PROTECTED CLASSES OF PEOPLE IN SCHOOLS, WHY NOT LGBTQ PEOPLE?

>>THE BILL, IRONICALLY, AND I THINK THIS JUST SHOWS HOW SELF-FOCUSED THEY ARE.

THE BILL WOULD ALSO APPLY TO HETEROSEXUAL DISCUSSIONS.

THAT THOSE THINGS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING OF ANY KIND.

IT'S NOT ABOUT TARGETING LGBTQ, WHATEVER.

IT'S ABOUT SAYING THAT DISCUSSIONS OF SEXUALITY ARE NOT APPROPRIATE, OF ANY KIND, WHEN WE'RE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

>>LET ME TURN TO SCHOOL BOARDS, REPRESENTATIVE, AND A COUPLE OF PROPOSALS IN FRONT OF LAWMAKERS.

FIRST IS HB 1467 TO ELIMINATE SCHOOL BOARD SALARIES.

DO YOU THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA?

AND IF SO, WHY?

>>ABSOLUTELY.

I VOTED FOR THAT BILL LAST WEEK.

BEING ON A SCHOOL BOARD SHOULD BE A PLACE FOR PARENTS WHO WANT TO CONTRIBUTE SOMETHING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, NOT FOR SELF-SERVING POLITICIANS WHO WISH TO MAKE A CAREER OUT OF IT.

AND SO I FULLY SUPPORT THAT BILL.

I THINK IT WILL GET SOME OF THE DISASTROUS SCHOOL BOARD DECISIONS THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST YEAR, IT'LL GET SOME OF THAT BACK UNDER CONTROL.

>>ANOTHER PROPOSAL IS TO MAKE SCHOOL BOARD RACES PARTISAN.

WHY DO YOU THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO PUT THAT INFORMATION ON THE BALLOT?

>>SCHOOL BOARD RACES ARE ALREADY PARTISAN.

THE PARTIES ARE SPENDING HUGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY INFORMING VOTERS THE REGISTRATION OF THE CANDIDATES.

AND BY THE WAY, VOTERS CALL AND SAY, "WHO'S THE REPUBLICAN?

WHO'S THE DEMOCRAT?"

VOTERS WANT TO KNOW.

I DON'T KNOW WHO COULD OPPOSE GIVING VOTERS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION.

>>ALL RIGHT, WELL, NEXT LET'S HEAR FROM THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE, ANNA ESKAMANI IS A STATE REPRESENTATIVE FROM ORLANDO.

WE ALSO STARTED WITH HP 1557 ON PARENTAL RIGHTS.

>>THE WAY THE BILL'S WRITTEN TODAY, IT IS SO BROAD THAT EVEN BRINGING A FAMILY PHOTO OF YOUR SAME SEX PARENTS COULD BE CONSIDERED ENCOURAGING A CONVERSATION ABOUT SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, WHICH WOULD BE PROHIBITED.

EVEN A CONVERSATION ABOUT PULSE COULD BE DEEMED THAT WE ARE ENCOURAGING A CONVERSATION ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY.

SO ANY EFFORT THAT SAYS IT'S INAPPROPRIATE TO TALK ABOUT LGBTQ+ LIVES, OR TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THESE LIVES EXIST IS ROOTED IN TRANSPHOBIA AND HOMOPHOBIA, AND HAS NO PLACE IN FLORIDA LAW.

>>BUT THIS BILL DOESN'T ACTUALLY MENTION LGBTQ PEOPLE.

SUPPORTERS WOULD SAY, IT'S THEREFORE IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY THAT IT TARGETS THAT COMMUNITY.

>>THIS DOES ALSO APPLY TO HETERO PEOPLE AND APPLIES TO CIS PEOPLE, WHICH WOULD BE EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO ENFORCE, BECAUSE THEN ANY CONVERSATION ABOUT ANY MARRIAGE OR ANY RELATIONSHIP WOULD BE DEEMED INAPPROPRIATE.

BUT THE FACT THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HAS ALREADY DRAWN A LINE ON THE SAND ELIMINATING LGBTQ+ CURRICULUM FOR ANTI-BULLYING FROM THEIR WEBSITE, AND THAT THIS STATUTE WOULD BE ENFORCED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, ALSO RAISED RED FLAGS FOR US.

BECAUSE AT THIS POINT WE'RE ASKING THE FOX TO GUARD THE HENHOUSE.

IF IT TRULY IS JUST ABOUT PARENTAL BILL OF RIGHTS, THEN LET'S ELIMINATE THIS LANGUAGE TARGETING LGBTQ+ LIVES.

>>I WANT TO TURN TO SCHOOL BOARDS.

FIRST OF ALL, WHAT'S YOUR POSITION ON ELIMINATING SCHOOL BOARD SALARIES?

THE NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION SAYS ABOUT 60% OF SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS NATIONWIDE ARE UNPAID.

THIS JUST BRINGS FLORIDA INTO LINE WITH THE MAJORITY, RIGHT?

>>THE IDEA OF ENDING SCHOOL BOARD SALARIES IS ONE DESIGNED TO EXCLUDE WORKING PEOPLE FROM SERVING IN PUBLIC OFFICE.

EVEN RIGHT NOW, MYSELF, I HAVE A $28,000 SALARY AS MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE.

AND I WORK A SECOND JOB TO PAY MY BILLS ON TIME.

FOR MANY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS IT'S THE SAME DYNAMIC.

AND IF WE TOTALLY ELIMINATE THE SALARY, IT'S GOING TO CREATE A SCENARIO WHERE ONLY WEALTHY PEOPLE OR PEOPLE CONNECTED TO WEALTH CAN ACTUALLY RUN FOR OFFICE.

>>HOW ABOUT THOSE PROPOSALS TO MAKE RACES PARTISAN?

REPUBLICANS SAY THESE RACES ARE PARTISAN ANYWAY, AND THAT PUTTING PARTY AFFILIATION ON THE BALLOT IS GOOD FOR TRANSPARENCY.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>>THE EFFORT TO MAKE THESE POSITIONS PARTISAN IS PURELY DESIGNED TO TRY TO POLITICIZE OUR SCHOOL BOARDS, WHICH ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE PLACES OF PARTISAN DEBATE.

TO POLITICIZE A SCHOOL BOARD MORE THAN ALREADY IS, IS ANOTHER EFFORT BY THE REPUBLICAN PARTY TO TRY TO ELIMINATE THE SCHOOL MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN DRIVEN BY LOGIC, NOT PARTISANSHIP.

>>WELL, I TALKED WITH REPRESENTATIVES ESKAMANI AND FINE ON A RANGE OF SUBJECTS, INCLUDING MONOCLONALS AND THE STOP WOKE ACT.

YOU CAN FIND THE FULL CONVERSATIONS ON OUR WEBSITE AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

STEVE, LET'S TALK ABOUT SCHOOL BOARDS.

ARE THESE MOVES THE RESULT OF WHAT WE SAW OVER THE LAST YEAR, THAT DISPUTE BETWEEN SCHOOL BOARDS, INCLUDING IN ORANGE AND BREVARD COUNTIES, WITH THE STATE OVER MASKS.

>>YEAH.

ESSENTIALLY SCHOOL BOARDS LAST YEAR WERE, THEY STOOD UP TO THE STATE AND THEY WERE SOME OF THE BIGGEST OBSTACLES TO THE STATE IN DOING WHAT IT WANTED TO DO.

AND NOW YOU'RE SEEING THE RESULT OF THAT.

NOW THERE'S LEGISLATION TO ESSENTIALLY, THAT MANY PEOPLE SAY TARGETS THESE SCHOOL BOARDS, TARGETS THESE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS' SALARIES, TARGETS THEM IN A LOT OF WAYS.

>>I MEAN, WE HEARD THERE FROM THE TO TWO LAW MAKERS.

DOES IT SEEM THAT THIS DEBATE ON SCHOOL BOARDS KIND OF DOES BREAK DOWN BROADLY ALONG PARTISAN LINES?

>>I MEAN, ABSOLUTELY.

I MEAN, THE DEMOCRATS ARE ALL FOR KEEPING THE SCHOOL SALARIES.

YOU HEARD REPRESENTATIVE ANNA ESKAMANI THERE.

BECAUSE IN YES, 60% OF SCHOOL BOARDS ACROSS THE NATION IN 2018, THEY WEREN'T PAID, BUT IT'S DIFFERENT HERE IN FLORIDA.

I MEAN, THERE ARE MAMMOTH HUGE BUDGETS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

>>YEAH.

I MEAN, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

AND SO, THE DEMOCRATS WANT THE SALARIES IN PLACE.

THEY WANT PEOPLE TO CARE ABOUT THIS.

AND YOU HEARD, THEY WANT WORKING PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO BE A PART OF THESE ROLES.

BECAUSE IF YOU ELIMINATE SALARIES, IT'S REALLY ONLY POLITICIANS OR REALLY WEALTHY PEOPLE WHO PROBABLY PLAY INTO THIS ROLE.

BUT REPUBLICANS DID SAY, I MEAN, 60% ACROSS THE NATION AREN'T PAID.

AND THAT'S KIND OF THEIR ARGUMENT AS WELL.

>>AND WE DO HAVE SOME OF THE LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BROWARD, MIAMI DADE, EVEN ORANGE COUNTY, IN THE ENTIRE NATION.

>>ABSOLUTELY.

I MEAN HUGE MILLION DOLLAR BUDGETS.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

>>BIG BUDGETS.

YOU KNOW, STEVE, SUPPORTERS SAY AS NADEEN JUST MENTIONED THERE, THAT THIS SORT OF DISINCENTIVIZES PEOPLE FROM USING SCHOOL BOARDS AS A WAY TO KIND OF BREAK INTO POLITICS.

BUT WHAT STRUCK ME AS INTERESTING IS BOTH ANNA ESKAMANI AND RANDY FINE WERE SORT OF ESSENTIALLY SAYING THE THING.

WHAT ABOUT THESE PARENTS?

PTA MEMBERS WHO WANT TO BE ON SCHOOL BOARDS?

THEY'RE JUST GOING ABOUT IT COMPLETELY OPPOSITE WAYS.

>>YEAH.

THEY BOTH QUOTE UNQUOTE WANT PARENTS ON THE SCHOOL BOARDS.

AND THE QUESTION IS, AND LIKE NADEEN SAID, FLORIDA HAS HUGE, HUGE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

A LOT OF THESE 60% OF SCHOOL BOARDS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THEY'RE FOR... LIKE NEW JERSEY, FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S JUST, EACH TOWN HAS ITS OWN SCHOOL DISTRICT.

SO PEOPLE GET VOTED AND THEY RUN THE SCHOOL BOARD OF THIS TINY TOWN WITH LIKE A VERY SMALL BUDGET.

AND THEN HERE IN FLORIDA, LIKE PLACES LIKE MIAMI DADE, ORANGE COUNTY HAVE JUST HUGE, HUGE BUDGETS.

SO YEAH, THIS ESSENTIALLY, IF YOU'RE, LIKE THE DEMOCRATS WOULD SAY, IF YOU WANT TO RUN FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD IN ORANGE COUNTY, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT'S GOING TO BE YOUR JOB FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.

LIKE SOMEONE CAN'T JUST DO THIS AS LIKE A SIDE HUSTLE BASICALLY.

>>AND IT'S NOT JUST DOING IT.

IT'S THE CAMPAIGNING AS WELL.

I MEAN, WE'VE SEEN THE POLITICAL PARTIES PILE MONEY INTO THESE RACES IN HUGE AMOUNTS.

>>WE HAVE NOTICED THAT LAWMAKERS FIND THAT SCHOOL BOARDS ARE A PLACE TO BRING POLITICS INTO IT.

AND COULD YOU IMAGINE PUTTING A "D" OR AN "R" NEXT TO SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ALREADY, WITH HOW VOLATILE IT'S BEEN OVER THE DEBATES.

AND THAT'S ALSO WHY WE'RE SEEING THESE PARENT BILL OF RIGHTS.

BECAUSE IT STRIKES A CHORD BECAUSE PARENTS CARE ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING INSIDE THEIR CLASSROOMS.

RIGHTFULLY SO, BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHY WE'RE SEEING THIS HAPPENING.

>>FOR SURE.

STEVE, WHAT ABOUT TERM LIMITS?

I MEAN, THIS IS BEING CHAMPIONED BY SENATOR BAXLEY OF OCALA.

POLLING OVER THE YEARS HAS GENERALLY SHOWN A FAIRLY STRONG SUPPORT IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC FOR TERM LIMITS, WHETHER IT'S CONGRESS, THE SUPREME COURT.

WHAT'S BAXLEY PROPOSING HERE?

>>YEAH.

VOTERS WILL ALWAYS SAY THAT, "YEAH.

WE LOVE TERM LIMITS.

WE HATE POLITICIANS.

GET THEM OUT OF THERE."

BUT YEAH, BAXLEY IS PROPOSING EIGHT YEAR TERM LIMITS, JUST LIKE FOR LOCAL POSITIONS LIKE MAYORS AND ALSO JUST FOR LEGISLATORS, WHICH WILL ALSO HAVE EIGHT YEAR TERM LIMITS FOR BOTH THE HOUSE AND THEN THE SENATE.

DETRACTORS WOULD SAY THAT THIS ESSENTIALLY JUST LEADS TO A REVOLVING DOOR OF POLITICIANS.

IN TALLAHASSEE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE YOU SERVE YOUR EIGHT YEARS AND THEN SOMEONE ELSE WHO JUST DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT TALLAHASSEE COMES IN, AND THE LAST PERSON JUST GOES ON TO BECOME A LOBBYIST.

AND IT'S JUST REALLY DOESN'T WORK.

PEOPLE IN FAVOR OF TERM LIMITS WOULD SAY, "HEY, YOU KNOW THAT PEOPLE SHOULDN'T BE THERE FOR THAT LONG.

THEY SHOULDN'T MAKE CAREERS OUT OF THIS, ESPECIALLY ON A POSITION LIKE THE SCHOOL BOARD."

>>WELL, A LOT GOING ON IN TALLAHASSEE THIS SESSION.

WE'RE GOING TO KEEP AN EYE ON IT HERE ON NEWSNIGHT OVER THE COMING WEEKS.

BUT THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK.

MY THANKS TO NADEEN YANES OF WKMG CHANNEL SIX AND STEVE LEMONGELLO OF THE ORLANDO SENTINEL.

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

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