>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, THE FUTURE OF ABORTION ACCESS IN FLORIDA FOLLOWING THE RELEASE OF A LEAKED DRAFT SUPREME COURT OPINION ON ROE VERSUS WADE.

HOSPITALS IN THE STATE FACE A CRITICAL SHORTAGE OF STAFF.

WE'LL LOOK AT HOW THE PANDEMIC PLAYED INTO THE SHORTFALL AND WHETHER OUR STATE IS READY FOR FUTURE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES.

AND COULD FLORIDA FOLLOW ALABAMA IN BANNING GENDER AFFIRMING TREATMENTS FOR TRANSGENDER YOUTH?

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

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

JOINING US THIS WEEK, TALIA BLAKE, REPORTER AND MORNING HOST FROM 90.7 WMFE AND STEVE LEMONGELLO COVERS POLITICS FOR THE ORLANDO SENTINEL.

THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR COMING IN.

REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

ALL RIGHT.

FIRST TONIGHT, THE FUTURE OF ROE VERSUS WADE.

THE LEAKED US SUPREME COURT OPINION ON OVERTURNING ROE COMES JUST WEEKS AFTER PASSAGE OF FLORIDA'S 15 WEEK ABORTION BAN, WHICH IS SET TO COME INTO FORCE IN JULY.

GOVERNOR DESANTIS ON TUESDAY CALLED THE SUPREME COURT LEAK, "A JUDICIAL INSURRECTION."

WELL, TO BREAK IT ALL DOWN, I TURN TO CHABELI CARRAZANA, ORLANDO BASED REPORTER FOR THE 19TH, WHICH COVERS GENDER, POLITICS, AND POLICY.

>>THIS IS ALL RELATED TO A MISSISSIPPI CASE, WHERE MISSISSIPPI TRIED TO PASS A LAW THAT BANS ABORTION AT 15 WEEKS, AND THAT IS EARLIER THAN WHAT IS STIPULATED IN ROE V. WADE, WHICH IS ABOUT 22 TO 24 WEEKS.

>>YEAH, YOU MENTIONED MISSISSIPPI'S LAW WHICH IS IN FRONT OF THE COURT, WHICH IS INTERESTING FOR US HERE IN FLORIDA, OF COURSE, BECAUSE THE STATE'S 15 WEEK ABORTION BAN THAT WAS JUST SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR IS MODELED ON THAT MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATION.

A LOT OF STATES HAVE PASSED LAWS, RIGHT, AWAITING THE SUPREME COURT'S DECISION?

>>EXACTLY.

THAT'S EXACTLY THE STRATEGY THAT MANY OF THESE STATES HAVE TAKEN.

AND CERTAINLY WE'VE SEEN THAT VERY EXPLICITLY IN FLORIDA WITH THE 15 WEEK MIRROR THERE IN TERMS OF THE LIMITATIONS OF THE LAW.

AND, YEAH, I THINK THE EXPECTATION FOR MANY EXPERTS WAS THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE THE ULTIMATE POSITION OF THE COURT.

I THINK THAT WAS THE EXPECTATION OF STATES THAT WERE LOOKING TO MOVE AHEAD, SORT OF EXPECTING THAT THEIR LAWS WERE NOT GOING TO BE CHALLENGED BECAUSE ROE WAS GOING TO COME DOWN IN THE SUMMER, AND SO WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THAT COME INTO PLACE.

AND I SHOULD SAY THAT THIS IS A DRAFT, OPINIONS CAN CHANGE, HAVE CHANGED IN THE PAST, FAMOUSLY WHEN OBAMACARE WAS PASSED.

JUSTICE ROBERTS CHANGED HIS OPINION ON THAT CASE.

WILL THAT HAPPEN THIS TIME IS A BIG QUESTION MARK, BECAUSE IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO SEE HOW SOME OF THE CONSERVATIVE MEMBERS OF THE COURT COULD HAVE THIS SORT OF PINNED ON THEM AS BEING THE ONES WHO CHANGED THE COURSE OF ROE V. WADE, PARTICULARLY AROUND SUCH A CHARGED ISSUE AS THIS ONE.

SO I'M NOT SAYING IT CAN'T HAPPEN, BUT, YEAH, I GUESS WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE.

BUT IT IS STILL A DRAFT AND IT COULD POTENTIALLY CHANGE.

>>SEVERAL STATES HAVE SO-CALLED TRIGGER LAWS THAT WOULD MAKE ABORTION ILLEGAL AS SOON AS A SUPREME COURT RULING COMES DOWN, MAYBE NEXT MONTH.

FLORIDA ISN'T ONE OF THOSE STATES, BUT IS THERE AN INDICATION, DO YOU THINK, THAT FLORIDA LAWMAKERS MIGHT PRESS FOR TOUGHER RESTRICTIONS DOWN THE ROAD BASED ON THE POSSIBILITY THAT JUSTICES MAY OVERTURN ROE?

>>I'M NOT SURE WHETHER THE INDICATION IS THERE YET, BUT THE PATHWAY IS DEFINITELY THERE AND IS DEFINITELY POSSIBLE AND IT CAN BECOME MORE RESTRICTIVE.

AND, AGAIN, WE'RE SEEING THIS A LOT IN A LOT OF SOUTHERN STATES AND ALL OF MIDWESTERN STATES.

AND SO THE PATCHWORK OF LEGISLATION ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS GOING TO MAKE ACCESS TO ABORTION RATHER TRICKY, PARTICULARLY, AGAIN, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS WHICH ARE LOCATED IN THESE STATES.

AND SO, YES, IT COULD POTENTIALLY BECOME EVEN MORE RESTRICTIVE IN THE POST ROE WORLD.

>>AND, CHABELI, I IMAGINE YOU'VE BEEN GATHERING A LOT OF REACTION FROM YOUR SOURCES.

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING?

>>I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF SHOCK, A LOT OF PROCESSING THAT I'M HEARING FROM FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN DOING THIS WORK FOR A LONG TIME.

AND FOR FOLKS WHO ARE ANTI-ABORTION, I MEAN, I'VE HEARD IT DESCRIBED AS THEIR D-DAY.

THEY'VE DESCRIBED IT THAT WAY AND THIS IS A MOMENT THAT THEY'VE FOUGHT FOR, FOR MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS.

SO I THINK THE EMOTIONS ARE EXTREMELY HIGH ON BOTH ENDS.

WE ARE WONDERING HOW THIS IS GOING TO AFFECT THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS AT THE END OF THE YEAR, HOW THIS IS GOING TO MOBILIZE FOLKS, AND SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PROCESSING HAPPENING AND PEOPLE BECOMING REALLY ATTUNED TO THE FACT THAT, YES, THIS IS QUITE POSSIBLE AND IT'S QUITE POSSIBLE THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE FINAL.

>>ALL RIGHT.

A LOT TO BREAK DOWN.

TALIA, WE HAVE SEEN SOME PROTESTS HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

WHAT'S BROADLY BEEN THE REACTION FROM ADVOCATES AND ALSO POLITICIANS ON BOTH SIDES OF THAT DEBATE?

>>YEAH, SO ANTI-ABORTION ADVOCATES HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN CHEERING SINCE THIS OPINION WAS LEAKED, BUT DEMOCRATS ARE ON THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THAT.

I MEAN, US REPRESENTATIVE VAL DEMINGS EVEN SAID THAT THIS WAS APPALLING AND DANGEROUS TO BE REPEALING ROE V. WADE.

ANNA ESKAMANI SPOKE OUT AGAINST IT, BUT US REPRESENTATIVE MATT GAETZ SAID EVEN THOUGH OPINIONS CAN CHANGE, A DECISION LIKE THIS IS A WELCOMED VINDICATION OF LIFE AND HUMANITY.

>>AND WE'VE SEEN SOME OF THOSE PROTESTS TAKE PLACE OUTSIDE THE ORLANDO CITY HALL AS WELL.

>>OVER ORLANDO CITY HALL, ALL THE WAY UP TO TALLAHASSEE, TO EVEN KEY WEST HAD PROTESTS.

>>OVER THE COURSE OF THE WEEK.

WELL, LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE REPUBLICANS AND WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN NOW IN FLORIDA.

HERE'S THE GOVERNOR THIS WEEK FOLLOWING THE LINE OF MANY IN HIS PARTY FOCUSING ON THE LEAK.

>>TO HAVE THAT LEAK OUT THE WAY IT DID WAS REALLY UNPRECEDENTED.

AND I THINK IT WAS REALLY AN ATTACK ON A LOT OF THE JUSTICES.

I THINK IT WAS AN INTENTIONAL THING TO TRY TO WHIP UP A LOT OF THE PUBLIC TO TRY TO MAKE IT VERY POLITICAL, POTENTIALLY TRY TO BULLY THEM INTO CHANGING ONE OF THEIR POSITIONS, AND THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THE JUDICIAL BRANCH.

AND SO I HOPE, I KNOW THEY LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION, THEY NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHO DID THAT AND THEY NEED TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE BECAUSE THAT'S A REAL SIGNIFICANT BREACH OF TRUST.

YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT AN INSURRECTION?

THAT'S A JUDICIAL INSURRECTION TO BE TAKING THAT OUT AND TRYING TO KNEECAP A POTENTIAL MAJORITY THROUGH KIND OF EXTRA-CONSTITUTIONAL MEANS.

AND SO I WAS REALLY SURPRISED TO SEE THAT.

SO WE'LL SEE WHAT ENDS UP BEING THE RESULT GOING FORWARD.

>>GOVERNOR DESANTIS, THERE.

STEVE, THE GOVERNOR WOULDN'T SAY WHETHER HE'D SIGN MORE RESTRICTIONS INTO LAW, BUT THERE IS A POTENTIAL, AS CHABELI MENTIONED THERE IN OUR INTERVIEW, FOR SOME POLITICIANS TO PUSH FORWARD NOW.

DO YOU THINK THAT'S LIKELY TO HAPPEN IN FLORIDA?

>>YEAH.

AS YOU SAW THE PUSH ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDES MEANT TO FOCUS ON THE LEAK AND NOT THE ACTUAL CONTENTS OF WHAT WAS LEAKED.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE A LOT OF POLLS SHOW THAT ROE VERSUS WADE IS VERY POPULAR AMONG VOTERS IN MOST STATES, IF NOT ALL.

SO YOU'RE NOT SEEING THAT PUSH RIGHT NOW BY REPUBLICANS, ESPECIALLY IN FLORIDA, TO SORT OF GO AFTER ABORTION LIKE YOU'VE SEEN IN A LOT OF THE STATES THAT ALREADY HAVE TRIGGER LAWS.

BUT IT'S ALWAYS POSSIBLE, AS YOU SAW LIKE IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, LAWS, BILLS COME OUT OF NOWHERE.

RANDY FINE HAS BEEN A SOURCE OF A LOT OF BILLS THAT SORT OF SURPRISE PEOPLE AND THAT ARE SIGNED INTO LAW JUST A FEW WEEKS LATER, SO IT'S THEORETICALLY POSSIBLE.

>>AND WE'LL TALK A BIT MORE ABOUT ONE OF RANDY FINE'S PROPOSALS COMING UP LATER IN THE SHOW.

I MEAN, DEMOCRATIC STATE REPRESENTATIVE, ANNA ESKAMANI HAS TOLD ME IN THE PAST THAT SHE THINKS REPUBLICANS MAY HAVE OVERREACHED ON THE ABORTION ISSUE.

I MEAN, DO STATE DEMOCRATS, STEVE, BELIEVE THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT PEOPLE WILL GALVANIZE AROUND?

>>YEAH.

DEMOCRATS THINK THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR THEM.

LIKE I SAID, POLLS HAVE SHOWN THAT ABORTION RIGHTS, ROE VERSUS WADE, ESPECIALLY, ARE VERY POPULAR IN FLORIDA, AS WELL AS ELSEWHERE.

WHILE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DO HAVE QUALMS ABOUT IT, A LOT OF PEOPLE DO SUPPORT THE 15 WEEKS, DON'T SUPPORT THE 20 SOMETHING WEEKS THAT HAVE BEEN PUSHED FORWARD, ESPECIALLY IN THE BILL IN CONGRESS, THAT PASSED THE HOUSE, BUT NOT THE SENATE RECENTLY.

BUT OVERALL ROE VERSUS WADE HAS BEEN VERY POPULAR AND DEMOCRATS THINK THIS COULD BE LIKE A WEDGE ISSUE, ESPECIALLY WITH SUBURBAN WOMEN.

>>ONE OF THE CRITICISMS, TALIA, HAS BEEN THAT THIS MIGHT MAKE IT HARDER, PARTICULARLY FOR CERTAIN SEGMENTS OF THE POPULATION, UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, MINORITY GROUPS.

I MEAN, WHAT'S THE CONCERN THERE?

>>THE CONCERN IS LACK OF TRANSPORT AND LACK OF FUNDS.

SO IF YOU'VE GOT TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE OF YOUR STATE TO GET AN ABORTION, NOT ONLY DO YOU NEED TO FIND A WAY TO GET THERE, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT ABORTION.

JUST RECENTLY I REMEMBER THERE BEING A STORY ON OUR STATION OF THIS YOUNG WOMAN, 20 SOMETHING YEARS OLD, HAD TO TRAVEL OUT OF STATE.

ALL IN ALL IT ENDED UP COSTING HER OVER OR NEARLY $2,000 JUST TO GET THAT ABORTION.

NOT EVERYBODY HAS $2,000 ON HAND, READY TO GO.

>>AND THAT PARTICULARLY AFFECTS UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

>>PEOPLE OF COLOR, PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE AS MUCH ACCESS TO FINANCIAL RESOURCES AS OTHER PEOPLE.

YEAH, DEFINITELY.

>>YEAH.

STEVE, I JUST WANTED TO SORT OF TALK ABOUT THE POLITICS BEYOND THIS.

I MEAN, THE PRESIDENT MENTIONED THIS AND WE'VE HEARD THIS FROM SOME LOCAL DEMOCRATS AS WELL, THAT IF YOU EXTRAPOLATE THE LOGIC FROM THIS DRAFT OPINION, AND IT IS JUST A DRAFT AT THIS POINT, THIS COULD HAVE A KNOCK ON EFFECT ON OTHER ISSUES SUCH AS SAME SEX MARRIAGE IN PLACES LIKE FLORIDA?

>>YEAH.

ALITO'S OPINION SPECIFICALLY TOUCHED ON THE 14TH AMENDMENT AND HIS VIEW OF THE 14TH AMENDMENT THAT CERTAIN RIGHTS ARE NOT DEEPLY ROOTED IN THE COUNTRY'S HISTORY.

AND HE DID MENTION LAWS, DECISIONS LIKE OBERGEFELL, WHICH AFFECTS SAME SEX MARRIAGE.

CONTRACEPTION, I BELIEVE IS ALSO TALKED ABOUT.

SO, YEAH, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS.

I BELIEVE THERE WAS ONE REPUBLICAN, I THINK IN INDIANA, WHO BROUGHT UP BROWN VERSUS BOARD OF EDUCATION.

THAT ALSO IS CONTROVERSIAL IN CERTAIN SEGMENTS OF THE FEDERAL SOCIETY AND CONSERVATIVE COMMUNITY.

>>SO YEAH, IF YOU TAKE ALITO'S WORD AT THIS DECISION, THEN IT'S QUITE POSSIBLE THAT THIS COULD BE THE ROUTE THEY GO DOWN.

AND CERTAINLY THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION STATES MARRIAGE STILL SAYS THAT'S BETWEEN ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN.

>>YEAH.

FLORIDA CONSTITUTION NEVER CHANGED.

IT JUST THERE WAS OBERGEFELL DECISION AND IT WAS SUDDENLY LEGAL.

BUT AGAIN, IT'S IN THE LAW ITSELF, MAN AND WOMEN.

>>WELL, WE'LL SEE WHAT THE SUPREME COURT ENDS UP DOING.

AND BE SURE TO JOIN THIS CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

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

OKAY, NEXT TONIGHT, CASES OF COVID 19 ARE STARTING TO TICK HIGHER AGAIN IN FLORIDA, BUT ARE THE STATE'S HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS READY FOR A FUTURE SURGE, OR EVEN A FUTURE PANDEMIC?

THE FLORIDA HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION SAYS ABOUT 70% OF HOSPITALS IN THE STATE FACE A SEVERE SHORTAGE OF STAFF.

THE ORGANIZATION FORECASTS FLORIDA WILL HAVE A SHORTFALL OF NEARLY 60,000 NURSES BY 2035.

>>I WOULD ALMOST PUT IT INTO THE CATEGORY OF A CRISIS.

>>THE ASSOCIATION'S DIRE PREDICTION CAME BEFORE THE DELTA SURGE.

IT SAYS COVID HAS COMPOUNDED AN ALREADY HARSH REALITY.

>>WE ARE SEEING TURNOVER RATES OF OVER 25% AMONG NURSES, 30% TURNOVER RATE AMONG CRITICAL CARE NURSES.

THE HOSPITALS HAVE NEVER SEEN TURNOVER RATES THAT HIGH.

UNDER THE BEST OF CIRCUMSTANCES, IT IS A DEMANDING JOB.

NOW YOU ADD MORE THAN TWO YEARS OF A PANDEMIC.

AND SO THE STRESS, THE STRAIN, THE TRAUMA, HAS ABSOLUTELY HAD A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON OUR STAFF, MEANING WE'VE GOT TO BE DOING A LOT MORE TODAY TO ADDRESS THAT PIPELINE.

>>AND HOSPITAL SYSTEMS SAY THEY'RE TAKING THOSE WARNINGS SERIOUSLY, AS MANAGERS SEEK TO EASE THE STRESS ON OVERBURDENED NURSING STAFF.

>>IT'S BEEN SHORT AND THEY'RE TRYING TO GET US THE STAFF.

I KNOW OUR MANAGER WENT OUT SEVERAL INTERVIEWS AND THERE JUST WASN'T ENOUGH COMING IN.

THERE WEREN'T NURSES COMING TO APPLY.

>>CHANTAL PUERTA IS A REGISTERED NURSE WHO WORKS FOR ADVENT HEALTH.

HER ICU IN DELAND HAS USED TRAVELING NURSES DURING THE PANDEMIC TO FILL GAPS.

SHE SAYS SHE'S SEEN FIRSTHAND THE IMPACT OF HIGH TURNOVER.

>>I THINK THAT NURSES FELT THEY WERE SCARED, SO A LOT OF THEM LEFT THE BEDSIDE.

>>PUERTA IS A BENEFICIARY OF ONE OF THE PROGRAMS ADVENT PUT IN PLACE TO TRY TO DEAL WITH THE SHORTAGE OF NURSES IN FLORIDA.

THE SYSTEM IS OFFERING TUITION ASSISTANCE TO STAFF TO HELP THEM RISE UP THROUGH THE RANKS TO FILL CRITICAL ROLES ON WARDS.

SHE'S ALSO PART OF A NURSE'S ADVISORY PANEL ESTABLISHED BY ADVENT TO GET FEEDBACK AND BUY IN FROM STAFF.

>>THEY ARE GETTING THE INPUT FROM THE BEDSIDE NURSE TO SAY, "DO YOU THINK THIS WILL WORK?

DO YOU THINK THIS IS AN OPTION?"

>>IT'S THE MODEL FOR US.

>>BUT RECRUITMENT REMAINS HARD.

IN WINTER GARDEN, THE JOBS PARTNERSHIP OF FLORIDA HOSTS A GATHERING OF PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEES.

IT'S PART OF A 12 WEEK PROGRAM AIMED AT PLACING UNEMPLOYED AND LOW WAGE WORKERS IN HIGHER PAYING JOBS.

>>IF YOU'VE GOT THE SKILL SETS, YOU HAVE A JOB.

AND SO THE REALITY IS, IS TO FIND WORKERS TO FILL THOSE JOBS, YOU'VE GOT TO REACH DEEPER INTO THE COMMUNITY, AND WE SUGGEST TO THE LOW SKILLS WORKFORCE THAT MAKES UP ABOUT 50% OF OUR COMMUNITY.

>>WE'RE TRYING TO REALLY LIFT PEOPLE UP FROM MANY OF THESE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE BEEN MISSING OUT ON THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, AND A LOT OF THEM QUITE HONESTLY ARE COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.

AND SO WE'RE REALLY SEE THAT AS PART OF OUR MISSION.

>>JOBS PARTNERSHIP WORKS ON IMPROVING SO-CALLED SOFT SKILLS, SUCH AS RELATIONSHIPS, ATTITUDE, AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION.

WITH STAFFING SHORTAGES NOW A SERIOUS ISSUE IN FLORIDA, ATTENTION IS FOCUSED ON RECRUITING PATIENT CARE TECHS TO BACKFILL EXISTING STAFF AND EASE THE STRAIN ON CURRENT WORKERS.

>>WE CAN ASSESS THEIR ABILITY TO DO THE JOB AS WELL AS A PREVIEW OF WHAT THE JOB LOOKS LIKE.

AND THEN THEY WILL BE HIRED FULL TIME INTO POSITIONS AT THE HOSPITAL AND THEY WILL BE TRAINED ON THE JOB AND GET CERTIFIED AS A PATIENT CARE TECHNICIAN.

AND SO IT REALLY IS KIND OF A FAST TRACK INTO SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS.

>>ADVENT IS ALSO NOW WORKING WITH LAKE-SUMTER STATE COLLEGE IN TAVERES, OPENING A DEDICATED EDUCATION UNIT FOR STUDENT NURSES.

>>AND IT ALLOWS NURSES TO HAVE A CONSISTENT CLINICAL EXPERIENCE, WHERE NURSES COME TO THE SAME LOCATION AND THEY ARE PRECEPTORED AND MENTORED BY NURSES ON THE ADVENT HEALTH WATERMAN TEAM.

IT ALLOWS FOR CONSISTENCY IN TRAINING AND A STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SCHOOL ON MEETING THEIR NEEDS.

>>WELL, TO TALK MORE ABOUT FLORIDA'S ACUTE SHORTAGE OF STAFF IN HOSPITALS AND THE STATE'S READINESS FOR FUTURE PANDEMIC SURGES, I TURN TO THE ORLANDO SENTINEL'S HEALTH REPORTER, CAROLINE CATHERMAN.

>>NOT ONLY IS IT BECAUSE FLORIDA HAS SUCH A GROWING POPULATION, FLORIDA HAS AN AGING POPULATION, A LOT OF NURSES ARE LEAVING FLORIDA, AND ONE REASON POINTED TO BY NURSES UNIONS IS FLORIDA MAYBE DOESN'T PAY ITS NURSES AS MUCH AS SOME OTHER STATES DO.

THERE'S ALSO OTHER STATES THAT HAVE MAYBE STAFFING RATIO MINIMUMS THAT FLORIDA DOESN'T HAVE.

SO IT'S INTERESTING.

I THINK THAT IF YOU TALK TO NATIONAL NURSES UNITED, THE LARGEST UNION OF NURSES, THEY WILL SAY THAT FLORIDA NEEDS TO ADD MORE INCENTIVES FOR NURSES TO STAY HERE.

>>DO THE SHORTAGES CUT ACROSS MEDICAL DISCIPLINES?

>>HONESTLY, FLORIDA'S NOT ONLY FACING A NURSING SHORTAGE.

FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, IT'S FACING A PHYSICIAN SHORTAGE, IT'S FACING A SPECIALIST SHORTAGE.

IT'S THE SECOND HIGHEST POPULATION OF ALZHEIMER'S IN THE US AND THERE'S NOT ENOUGH ALZHEIMER'S SPECIALISTS.

THERE'S NOT ENOUGH NEUROLOGISTS.

I THINK THAT FLORIDA'S POPULATION'S JUST BOOMING.

I THINK THAT IT'S UNLIKE OTHER STATES, JUST IN THE SHEER DEMAND OF HEALTHCARE THAT IS NEEDED.

>>SO WITH THESE SEISMIC STAFFING ISSUES, IS FLORIDA READY TO DEAL WITH WHATEVER COMES NEXT IN THE PANDEMIC, OR A FUTURE PANDEMIC FOR THAT MATTER?

>>I HAVE SPOKEN TO PHYSICIANS.

IT DOES SEEM LIKE THEY HAVE LEARNED, WITH EACH SURGE, DIFFERENT WAYS OF BETTER MAXIMIZING SPACE.

THEY'VE DEVELOPED SYSTEMS THAT GIVE THEM A BETTER WAY TO PREDICT WHEN AN INFLUX OF PATIENTS IS GOING TO BE COMING IN.

THEY'VE INTRODUCED VIRTUAL NURSES.

SO THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE ABLE TO WATCH A PATIENT IN THEIR HOSPITAL ROOM FROM A WEBCAM AND MONITOR THEM THAT WAY FROM A DIFFERENT LOCATION.

>>I AM CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL BE BETTER EQUIPPED TO DEAL WITH FUTURE SURGES.

NOW, PEOPLE I TALK TO ARE ESSENTIALLY SAYING IT'S PRETTY MUCH A SURE THING THERE'S GOING TO BE A NEW VARIANT, AND PRETTY LIKELY A NEW VARIANT IS GOING TO LEAD TO ANOTHER SURGE.

WE'RE JUST NOT QUITE SURE WHEN.

PEOPLE ARE CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC THAT WE'RE NOT ABOUT TO ENTER IN A SURGE RIGHT NOW, BUT WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IMMUNITY FROM OMICRON WILL LAST.

>>WELL, YOU CAN SEE MY FULL LENGTH INTERVIEWS WITH CAROLINE CATHERMAN FROM THE ORLANDO SENTINEL, CHABELI CARRAZANA FROM THE 19TH, AND MARY MAYHEW FROM THE FLORIDA HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION ON OUR WEBSITE, ALL AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

>>ALL RIGHT, ALABAMA'S GOVERNOR LAST MONTH SIGNED A LAW BANNING GENDER AFFIRMING CARE FOR MINORS.

SO MIGHT FLORIDA FOLLOW ITS NEIGHBOR TO THE NORTH?

NEWSNIGHT'S KRYSTEL KNOWLES REPORTS ON A PROPOSAL BY A BREVARD REPUBLICAN STATE REPRESENTATIVE.

>>I DON'T THINK CHILDREN SHOULD BE MAKING DECISIONS THAT THEY CAN'T UNDO WHEN THEY'RE OLDER.

>>AND I WILL READ THEM- >>REPRESENTATIVE RANDY FINE TOOK TO SOCIAL MEDIA TO SAY HE WANTS TO MAKE GENDER ASSIGNMENT SURGERY, OR THE PRESCRIBING OF CERTAIN DRUGS SUCH AS PUBERTY BLOCKERS FOR MINORS, ILLEGAL.

HE CALLS SUCH TREATMENT, "CHILD ABUSE."

FOLLOWING A RECENT CONTROVERSY INVOLVING A TRANSGENDER ATHLETE, FINE WROTE, "IT IS TIME FOR US TO DISPENSE WITH THIS FANTASY, ONE THAT IS TURNING OUR WOMEN'S SPORTS INTO A JOKE.

AND OUR SCHOOLS INTO A CESS POOL."

LORI MCNAMARA, NOW IN HER 30S, HAS LIVED AS A TRANSGENDER WOMAN FOR MANY YEARS AND SAYS POLITICIANS ARE USING TRANSGENDER PEOPLE AS A PLOY TO GET VOTES.

>>RANDY FINE BELIEVES HE CAN BUILD HIS POLITICAL CAREER OFF OF THIS, BELIEVES HE CAN GET ATTENTION FROM THIS.

THERE IS A STEWARDSHIP OF A SPECIFIC HATEFUL SEGMENT OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC THAT WILL ALWAYS BE PRIMED TO TREAT THESE PEOPLE AS EXILES, AS IF WE ARE THREATS TO CHILDREN, AND AS IF WE HAVE NO PLACE IN SOCIETY.

>>COLLEGE STUDENT ENIFFER OZOLI IS WORRIED HOW FAR POLITICIANS WILL GO TO MAKE TRANSGENDER PEOPLE LIKE HER OUTCASTS OF SOCIETY.

>>THERE IS A LOT OF MISINFORMATION ALREADY ABOUT TRANS PEOPLE.

AND I THINK THE ULTIMATE GOAL REALLY IS JUST TO DIVIDE AND CONQUER.

IF YOU SEPARATE TRANS PEOPLE FROM SOCIETY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, IT'S GOING TO BE VERY EASY TO JUST DISENFRANCHISE THEM ENTIRELY.

>>REPRESENTATIVE CARLOS GUILLERMO SMITH SAYS ORLANDO AND FLORIDA HAS BEEN STEADILY BECOMING MORE WELCOMING TO THE LGBGT COMMUNITY, BUT HE CLAIMS IF REPRESENTATIVE FINE GETS HIS WAY FAMILIES WILL FACE EVEN TOUGHER DECISIONS.

>>I'M ALREADY HEARING FROM THE PARENTS OF TRANSGENDER YOUTH WHO ARE SO ALARMED BY WHAT THEY HAVE SEEN THAT THEY'RE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT LEAVING THE STATE OF FLORIDA BECAUSE THEY ARE WORRIED THAT THEY WILL BE CRIMINALIZED AND PROSECUTED FOR SIMPLY LOVING UNCONDITIONALLY AND AFFIRMING THEIR TRANSGENDER CHILD.

>>REPRESENTATIVE FINE SAYS FOR PEOPLE UNDER 18, GENDER AFFIRMATION PROCEDURES OR HORMONES WOULD BE CONSIDERED ILLEGAL.

HE SAYS YOUTH QUESTIONING THEIR IDENTITY CAN INSTEAD EXPRESS THEMSELVES IN OTHER WAYS THAT ARE REVERSIBLE.

>>WHAT I'VE DISCUSSED DOES NOT SAY YOU CAN'T DRESS DIFFERENTLY.

IT DOESN'T SAY YOU CAN'T CALL YOURSELF SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY.

IT DOESN'T SAY YOU CAN'T GO TO MENTAL COUNSELING, BY THE WAY.

ALL THINGS WHICH MANY PEOPLE THINK ARE A BAD IDEA, BUT YOU CAN AT LEAST UNRING THAT BELL.

YOU CAN GO, "YOU KNOW WHAT?

I DON'T WANT TO DRESS LIKE A GIRL ANYMORE."

>>THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT SURGERY CAN BE A FORM OF TREATMENT FOR GENDER DYSPHORIA.

AND ACCORDING TO THE CDC, LESS THAN 2% OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ALREADY CONSIDER THEMSELVES TRANSGENDER.

>>LAUREN KNEW AT AN EARLY AGE, SHE WAS DIFFERENT.

SHE WASN'T LIKE THE OTHER BOYS.

BUT WAS TOO YOUNG TO HAVE THE VOCABULARY TO EXPRESS HER FEELINGS.

>>I HAD AN INKLING OF BEING JUST VERY DIFFERENT IN TERMS OF THE GENDER I MOST IDENTIFIED WITH AND THE GENDER I DIDN'T IDENTIFY WITH SINCE AT LEAST THREE, FOUR, AND THEN ONWARD INTO MIDDLE SCHOOL.

>>ANNA HAS A SIMILAR STORY AND STARTED TRANSITIONING ONCE SHE TURNED 18.

SHE DISPUTES REPRESENTATIVE FINE'S POSTS ABOUT MINORS GETTING GENDER AFFIRMATION TREATMENT AND SAYS FINDING TREATMENT FOR GENDER DYSPHORIA IS NOT THAT EASY.

>>YOU CAN'T FIND A DOCTOR THAT WOULD EVER DO THAT.

AND IF YOU DID, THERE WOULD BE NO INSURANCE COVERAGE.

IT'S JUST A WHOLE MESS.

I KNOW FOR ME PERSONALLY, I DID NOT HAVE THE OPTION TO START HORMONES UNTIL I WAS 18.

>>WITH THE 2023 LEGISLATIVE SESSION MANY MONTHS AWAY, THE BURNING QUESTION REMAINS.

>>AS FAR AS HOW LIKELY THIS IS TO PASS, I THINK IT'S ANYONE'S GUESS.

I DIDN'T THINK THAT IT WAS LIKELY THAT THE DON'T SAY GAY BILL WAS GOING TO PASS.

>>I BELIEVE THAT MEN ARE MEN AND WOMEN ARE WOMEN.

I THINK BIOLOGY IS BIOLOGY AND SCIENCE IS SCIENCE.

AND, AGAIN, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WHEN YOU'RE 19 YEARS OLD, WE'RE NOT GOING TO STAND IN YOUR WAY.

>>ALL RIGHT, LET'S BREAK THIS DOWN THEN, STEVE.

I MEAN, IT'S INTERESTING, ISN'T IT, THAT THIS IS TAKING PLACE NOW SHORTLY AFTER THIS WAS SIGNED INTO LAW BY GOVERNOR KAY IVEY IN ALABAMA.

I MEAN, HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK THIS MOVE IN FLORIDA IS SHAPED BY THE FACT THAT THIS TOOK PLACE IN ALABAMA?

>>OH YEAH.

IT'S ALMOST CERTAINLY INFLUENCED BY WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING IN ALABAMA AND OTHER STATES.

LIKE IDAHO RECENTLY MADE IT, I THINK, A FELONY OR SOMETHING CLOSE TO IT TO PROVIDE THIS SORT OF CARE.

SO, YEAH, THIS IS SORT OF PIGGYBACKING WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING AROUND THE COUNTRY.

>>TALIA, LET ME TURN TO YOU ON THIS ONE.

THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH RECENTLY RELEASED GUIDANCE ON THE TREATMENT OF GENDER DYSPHORIA FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS.

I'M WONDERING HOW IT DIFFERS FROM THE FEDERAL GUIDANCE?

>>IT IS COMPLETELY OPPOSITE OF THE FEDERAL GUIDANCE.

THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IS TELLING PEOPLE TO, OR TELLING DOCTORS TO, AVOID SOCIAL TRANSITIONING.

DON'T PRESCRIBE PUBERTY BLOCKERS AND NO GENDER AFFIRMING SURGERY FOR TRANSGENDER NONCONFORMING KIDS.

BUT THE BIGGEST THING WITH THAT IS THE SOCIAL TRANSITIONING BECAUSE AS RANDY FINE SAID IN THE PACKAGE, THAT IS REVERSIBLE AND THE US HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES RELEASED A STATEMENT ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO, SAYING THAT SOCIAL TRANSITIONING CAN HELP WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH PART OF IT, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT AS CAN BE REVERSIBLE.

>>AND CERTAINLY THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION GUIDANCE IS MUCH MORE CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH THE FEDERAL GUIDANCE THAN FLORIDA'S.

I MEAN, STEVE, IS THIS MOVE, DO YOU THINK, BY REPRESENTATIVE FINE, BROADLY PART OF THOSE SORT OF CULTURAL POLITICS THAT FLORIDA HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF IN RECENT MONTHS?

>>OH YEAH.

IN ONE OF FINE'S MANY SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS HE DID SAY THAT SPECIFICALLY HE WAS INTRODUCING THIS TRANS BILL BECAUSE OF THE REACTION TO THE SO-CALLED DON'T SAY GAY BILL.

HE SAW THAT HE USED SOME OF THE LANGUAGE THAT OPPONENTS OF THE DON'T SAY GAY BILL WERE GROOMERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES AND TO IMPLY THINGS ABOUT OPPONENTS OF THE BILL.

SO YEAH, THIS IS ESSENTIALLY, IT'S NOT ONLY PIGGYBACKING OFF OF WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING AROUND THE COUNTRY, IT'S PIGGYBACKING OFF OF WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING IN FLORIDA.

>>I WANTED TO JUST TALK ABOUT ANOTHER HOT BUTTON ISSUE WHILE WE'RE ON THE ISSUE OF POLITICS, TALIA.

THAT'S THE ISSUE OF CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY.

THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID THAT HE WANTS TO SIGN SOMETHING ON CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY BEFORE HE LEAVES OFFICE, WHENEVER THAT MIGHT BE.

OF COURSE, WE'RE IN AN ELECTION YEAR.

THIS HAS BEEN A KEY ISSUE TO SOME REPUBLICANS.

WHAT DID THE GOVERNOR SAY A AND WHAT WOULD THIS MEAN?

>>SO HE BASICALLY REAFFIRMED THIS WEEK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HE WILL DO BEFORE HE LEAVES OFFICE.

AND FOR ANYONE THAT'S WATCHING THAT DOESN'T KNOW, THE CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY ALLOWS YOU TO CARRY A GUN IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA WITHOUT A LICENSE.

HE FEELS LIKE WE WERE AT ONE POINT AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE SECOND AMENDMENT AND WE'RE FALLING BEHIND AND WE SHOULDN'T BE, SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HE'S BEEN CHAMPIONING FOR A WHILE AND HE SAYS HE'S GOING TO GET IT DONE >>ISSUES LIKE CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY AND ABORTION.

I MEAN, ARE THESE PART OF THE GOVERNOR'S SORT OF AMBITION, FUTURE POLITICAL AMBITIONS, WHETHER IT'S PRESIDENT, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE?

AND WHAT HE IS DESANTIS' CURRENT STANDING IN REPUBLICAN PARTY POLITICS?

>>YES, EVERYTHING DESANTIS IS DOING OR PUSHING FOR IS AIMED AT CONSERVATIVE VOTERS AND REPUBLICAN PRIMARY VOTERS FOR 2024.

IT'S NO SECRET THAT HE'S RUNNING.

AND RIGHT NOW HE IS SORT OF THE, EXCEPT FOR TRUMP, IF TRUMP WERE TO LIKE DISAPPEAR IN A CLOUD OF SMOKE TOMORROW, DESANTIS WOULD BE THE LEADER OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

OF COURSE, THE PROBLEM FOR HIM IS THAT TRUMP IS STILL THERE AND STILL IN HIS STATE.

>>THE GOVERNOR IS POLLING PRETTY WELL IN THE GUBERNATORIAL RACE.

I MEAN, HOW ARE THINGS STANDING ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE THERE?

>>YEAH.

SO OBVIOUSLY DEMOCRATS HAVE AN UPHILL BATTLE THIS YEAR.

OF COURSE, STUFF COULD HAPPEN LIKE EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK WITH THE ROE VERSUS WADE NEWS.

BUT HE HAS $100 MILLION PLUS WAR CHEST.

DEMOCRATS ARE JUST TRYING TO KEEP UP THERE, AND THEY HAVE A VERY SLOWLY BECOMING BITTER PRIMARY BATTLE BETWEEN CHARLIE CRIST AND NIKKI FRIED AND ANNETTE TADDEO.

SO WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS ON THAT AND WHETHER THEY CAN ALL RALLY TOGETHER AGAINST HIM IN THE FALL.

>>AND A STPETEPOLLS POLL THIS WEEK SHOWED A VERY CLEAR LEAD FOR CHARLIE CRIST OVER NIKKI FRIED, RIGHT?

>>YEAH, HE SEEMS TO BE CONSOLIDATING HIS SUPPORT, ESPECIALLY AFTER FRIED SUED THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, WHICH A LOT OF DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN CRITICAL OF.

>>YEAH.

WELL, YOU CAN FIND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH GUIDANCE ON THE TREATMENT OF GENDER DYSPHORIA FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS ON OUR WEBSITE.

IT'S AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

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

MY THANKS TO TALIA BLAKE, 90.7 WMFE AND STEVE LEMONGELLO FROM 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.