>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT VACCINATION EFFORTS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA ARE SET TO RECEIVE A BOOST AS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BRINGS THOUSANDS OF DOSES TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

FLORIDA SCHOOLS FACE FUNDING UNCERTAINTY AS ENROLLMENT PLUNGES AMID THE PANDEMIC.

AND LAWMAKERS IN TALLAHASSEE EYE REFORMS TO MAIL-IN VOTING.

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

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

AND WE DO THIS EVERY SINGLE WEEK BY BRINGING TOGETHER A TEAM OF JOURNALISTS WHO ARE ON TOP OF THE BIG STORIES EVERY SINGLE DAY.

SO RETURNING TO THE SHOW THIS WEEK, MY FRIEND SHANNON BUTLER FROM WFTV CHANNEL 9 AND DANIELLE PRIEUR OF 90.7 WMFE.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.

MY COLLEAGUE, STEVE MORT IN THE STUDIO, ONCE AGAIN FOR US THIS WEEK.

I CAN'T WAIT TO BE BACK THERE WITH YOU, STEVE.

ALL RIGHT, FIRST TONIGHT, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PLANS TO OPEN A MASS VACCINATION SITE IN ORLANDO AS THE NUMBER OF US COVID-19 DEATHS REACHES HALF A MILLION.

ORANGE COUNTY OFFICIALS SAY 46% OF RESIDENTS 65 AND OLDER HAVE RECEIVED A COVID-19 VACCINE.

THAT AMOUNTS TO JUST 8% OF THE COUNTY'S TOTAL POPULATION.

HE SAYS THE ARRIVAL OF A FEDERAL VACCINATION SITE ADMINISTERING 2000 DOSES A DAY, STARTING NEXT WEEK, WILL HELP.

THE SITE AT VALENCIA COLLEGE'S WEST CAMPUS WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY A NUMBER OF SMALLER SATELLITE LOCATIONS IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

>>TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE REACHING SOME OF THOSE MOST VULNERABLE UNDER REPRESENTED POPULATIONS HERE WITHIN OUR COUNTY.

>>THE FEDERAL SITE WILL BE ONE OF ONLY FOUR IN FLORIDA.

THE LOCATIONS CHOSEN TO BETTER REACH COMMUNITIES CONSIDERED AT RISK BY THE CDC.

MEANWHILE, MAYOR DEMINGS SAYS THE COUNTY IS READY TO ENFORCE ITS MANDATORY FACIAL COVERING ORDER AT THE CPAC CONFERENCE, TAKING PLACE THIS WEEKEND AT THE HYATT REGENCY ON I DRIVE.

>>WE WANT COMPLIANCE.

IF WE RECEIVE COMPLAINTS, JUST LIKE WE DO WITH ANY OTHER TYPES OF BUSINESSES, OUR COMPLIANCE TEAMS WILL BE DISPATCHED TO DO INSPECTIONS OF THOSE LOCATIONS.

>>PRESIDENT TRUMP IS EXPECTED TO ADDRESS DELEGATES AT THE CONFERENCE ON SUNDAY.

ALL RIGHT, SHANNON, SO LET'S START WITH YOU AND WHAT THE GOVERNOR HAD TO SAY THIS WEEK ABOUT THE VACCINES.

HE DID GIVE SOME INDICATION ABOUT WHO WILL QUALIFY NEXT FOR THE VACCINATIONS HERE IN THE STATE WITH THESE FEDERAL SITES THAT ARE OPENING.

SO, WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT WHO IS NEXT IN LINE AND OF COURSE TEACHERS, ONE BIG GROUP THAT MADE HEADLINES THIS WEEK.

>>YEAH.

THIS IS A PRETTY BIG DEAL BECAUSE THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE STARTING TO SEE AN OPENING OF PEOPLE WHO WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO GET THIS VACCINE.

THAT MEANS IT'S CLOSER FOR PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ME.

WHAT THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID IS THAT HE THINKS NEXT WEEK HE IS GOING TO OPEN IT UP TO TEACHERS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT ARE OVER THE AGE OF 50.

NOW BOTH OF THESE GROUPS HAVE PETITIONED THE GOVERNOR SAYING, "WE ARE ON THE FRONT LINES AND WE NEED THESE VACCINES."

HE HASN'T BEEN WILLING TO BUDGE UNTIL NOW.

HE ALWAYS HAS SAID, "IT'S BEEN SENIORS FIRST."

HE SAYS, "NOW IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A SLOWDOWN ON DEMAND FOR THOSE SENIORS, " SO HE'S WILLING TO DO NOW.

THERE IS SOME CRITICISM FOR BOTH OF THESE GROUPS SAYING 50 AND OVER, ESPECIALLY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, IS ONLY A DENT IN THOSE TWO POPULATIONS, BUT AT LEAST AT THIS POINT, IT IS A START.

>>DANIELLE, THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN CRITICIZED BY OPPONENTS FOR THOSE POP-UP VACCINATION SITES IN SOME WEALTHY RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES THAT MADE HEADLINES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT CVS DID BEGIN VACCINATING IN UNDERSERVED AREAS, INCLUDING SOME IN CENTRAL FLORIDA THIS WEEK.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT ALL OF THAT AND THE CONTROVERSY AND HOW FLORIDA IS DOING RIGHT NOW IN REACHING THE MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES.

>>IT'S NOT REALLY DOING THAT GREAT OF A JOB, NANCY, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT 2.5 MILLION VACCINES THAT HAVE GONE OUT.

ONLY ABOUT 4% OF BLACK RESIDENTS AND 4% OF LATINO AND HISPANIC RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN VACCINATED, SO THERE'S A HUGE INEQUALITY THERE IN WHO'S GETTING THESE VACCINES.

I WAS AT ALIANZA CHURCH YESTERDAY IN ORLANDO FOR A POP-UP EVENT THAT THEY HAD THERE.

THEY VACCINATED SOME 500 PEOPLE AND I CAN TELL YOU THE LINES WERE REALLY, REALLY, REALLY LONG, EVEN WELL BEFORE THE SITE OPENED AT NINE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.

AND I WAS SPEAKING TO THE PASTOR AND HE EVEN HADN'T GOTTEN HIS FIRST SHOT, HIS FIRST DOSE, UNTIL YESTERDAY.

HE SAID THERE SIMPLY ARE NOT ENOUGH VACCINE SITES IN UNDERSERVED MINORITY COMMUNITIES.

HE WANTS TO SEE MORE SITES LIKE THE ONE AT HIS CHURCH OPEN UP VERY SOON, WHICH MIGHT HAPPEN IF REPRESENTATIVE DAISY MORALES' LETTER TO GOVERNOR DESANTIS IS SUCCESSFUL AND WE HAVE TWO VERY LARGE 24 HOUR VACCINE CLINICS OPEN UP IN AREAS WHERE WE SEE A LOT OF UNDERSERVED PEOPLE.

>>YEAH.

AND THEN SPEAKING OF MORE, SHANNON, THE FDA THIS WEEK SAID THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON VACCINE MEETS EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION REQUIREMENTS.

I FEEL LIKE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE JOHNSON AND JOHNSON VACCINE FOREVER.

WHAT DID GOVERNOR DESANTIS SAY ABOUT HOW THAT MAY IMPACT OUR STATE NOW?

>>WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT FOREVER.

IT'S BEEN KIND OF A LONG WAIT FOR THIS JOHNSON & JOHNSON VACCINE, BUT IT IS EXPECTED TO GET APPROVAL AS EARLY AS FRIDAY, MAYBE INTO SATURDAY.

WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT JOHNSON & JOHNSON HAS SAID THEY HAVE ABOUT 4 MILLION OR SO VACCINES READY TO GO, THAT IT COULD SHIP OUT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.

THE GOVERNOR SAID, HE THINKS BY THIS WEEKEND, MAYBE MONDAY, WE WILL HAVE THAT JOHNSON & JOHNSON VACCINE HERE IN THE STATE.

WHAT HE SAID IS THAT HE IS STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW HE'S GOING TO ADMINISTER IT, HERE IN FLORIDA.

THE PROBLEM IS HE'S AFRAID TO PUT IT WITH OTHER SITES THAT MAY BE OFFERING MODERNA AND PFIZER BECAUSE HE'S AFRAID PEOPLE WILL GO UP AND TRY TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHICH VACCINE THEY WANT.

YOU KNOW, JOHNSON & JOHNSON, PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT THAT IT MAY NOT BE AS EFFECTIVE AS MODERNA OR PFIZER.

SO HE'S TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE TO PUT JOHNSON & JOHNSON'S VACCINE, SHOULD IT BE AT DOCTOR'S OFFICE, MAYBE AT DIFFERENT PHARMACIES, TO FIGURE OUT HOW PEOPLE SHOULD GET IT.

IT IS A BIG WEEK NEXT WEEK BETWEEN THAT AND ALL OF THOSE SITES.

THE ACCESS TO VACCINES NEXT WEEK MAY START TO TURN A CORNER.

EVERYBODY CALLED JOHNSON & JOHNSON A GAME CHANGER BECAUSE OF PRODUCTION, BUT WE'RE STILL WAITING TO SEE IF THEY CAN REALLY COME UP WITH 20 MILLION DOSES BY THE END OF MARCH.

>>YEAH, TRICKY LOGISTICS, FOR SURE.

DANIELLE, YOU'VE REPORTED ON HOW ORANGE COUNTY IS PREPARING FOR THAT CPAC GATHERING.

WHAT'S PLANNED ON ENFORCING LOCAL ORDERS ON FACIAL COVERINGS THERE, DO WE KNOW?

>>WELL, AS WE HEARD THE MAYOR SAY EARLIER IN THE SHOW, HE'S PLANNING ON SENDING OUT STRIKE TEAMS, IF THERE ARE ANY INDICATION THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT TAKING OUR COUNTY-WIDE FACE MASK MANDATE SERIOUSLY.

AND OF COURSE THERE'S PENALTIES THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT.

BUT I THINK IT'S ALSO REALLY INTERESTING THAT CPAC HAS REALLY PUT A LOT OF HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS IN ACTION.

I'M GOING TO BE COVERING THE CONFERENCE AND I MYSELF THIS MORNING GOT A CPAC CODE OF CONDUCT THAT I HAVE TO SIGN, THAT SAYS THAT I'LL FOLLOW THE FACE MASK MANDATE AS WELL AS CDC GUIDELINES ABOUT SOCIAL DISTANCING.

I ALSO HAVE TO DO A HEALTH QUESTIONNAIRE ON A DAILY BASIS AND SUBMIT TO A TEMPERATURE CHECK.

SO IT'S ALMOST GOING TO BE LIKE GOING TO A THEME PARK, THIS CONFERENCE OVER THE WEEKEND.

THERE'S A LOT OF PROTOCOLS THAT ARE IN PLACE TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE.

I'VE ALSO HEARD THAT THE STRIKE TEAMS HAVE ALREADY BEEN TO THE HYATT JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT, IN FACT, THINGS ARE SAFE EVEN BEFORE THE CONFERENCE BEGINS.

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

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

WE ALWAYS LIKE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS HERE ON THE SHOW.

NANCY.

>>NEXT TONIGHT, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION CONTINUES TO GRAPPLE WITH HOW TO REOPEN SCHOOLS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.

BUT HERE IN FLORIDA, KIDS HAVE BEEN BACK IN CLASS FOR MONTHS.

GOVERNOR DESANTIS SAYS FLORIDA HAS LED THE NATION ON THE REOPENING OF SCHOOLS.

>>EVERY SINGLE PARENT IN THIS STATE HAS A RIGHT TO SEND THEIR KID TO IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION.

WE HAVE DONE IT THE RIGHT WAY.

WE ARE NOT GOING TO TURN BACK.

>>BUT MANY DISTRICTS HAVE SEEN A MASSIVE DROP IN ENROLLMENT DURING THE PANDEMIC AS PARENTS CHOOSE OTHER OPTIONS SUCH AS HOMESCHOOLING.

THAT MEANS THAT WHILE THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET REQUESTS WOULD BRING K THROUGH 12 FUNDING TO A RECORD HIGH OF $22.8 BILLION, AND RAISE PER STUDENT FUNDING, DISTRICTS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR FINANCES FOR NEXT YEAR.

ORANGE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT, BARBARA JENKINS SAYS ENROLLMENT IN HER DISTRICT IS DOWN BY 6,000 STUDENTS.

SPEAKING TO THE CLASS OF COVID-19, A PARTNERSHIP OF PUBLIC MEDIA STATIONS IN FLORIDA, SHE SAYS LESS FUNDING COULD MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO HELP STUDENTS WHO'VE FALLEN BEHIND.

>>STUDENT ENROLLMENT DRIVES YOUR DOLLARS, WHICH DRIVES HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU CAN KEEP EMPLOYED.

IF YOU DON'T RECEIVE THE FUNDING, YOU CAN'T KEEP AS MANY STAFF HIRED.

IF YOU HAVE TO RIGHT SIZE BASED ON THE ACTUAL ENROLLMENT, THEN YOU WILL HAVE TO HAVE FEWER STAFF MEMBERS.

IF YOU'RE CURRENTLY OVERSTAFFED, BECAUSE YOU KEPT ALL OF YOUR EMPLOYEES, YOU DIDN'T LAY OFF, AND THEN NEXT YEAR THE DOLLARS ARE ADJUSTED.

THEN THE CHANCES ARE, YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO HAVE SOME REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO KEEP.

>>DANIELLE, LET'S START WITH YOU ON THIS MESS.

IS IT OKAY TO CALL IT A MESS?

IS THAT SAFE?

I THINK SO.

BARBARA JENKINS SAYS AS MORE KIDS RETURN TO CLASS, THE DISTRICT WILL NEED MORE RESOURCES THAT ARE NOW IN QUESTION GOING FORWARD.

SO WHAT KIND OF COSTS ARE WE TALKING HERE AS SCHOOLS TRY TO MAKE UP FOR THIS COVID SLIDE THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IN CHILDREN, REALLY IN ALL GRADES.

>>WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MORE SUMMER SCHOOL THAN WE'VE EVER SEEN, SO IT'LL BE FIVE DAYS A WEEK.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MORE SATURDAY SCHOOL, MORE AFTER-SCHOOL TUTORING, AND OF COURSE, ALL OF THAT AS WE HEARD BARBARA JENKINS SAY, WILL REQUIRE MORE STAFF AND MORE STAFF SALARIES, MORE PPE, MORE DEEP CLEANING AT A TIME WHEN USUALLY SCHOOLS WOULD BE SHUT DOWN FOR SUMMER HOLIDAY.

SO, IT WILL COST MONEY THAT THE DISTRICT SIMPLY DOES NOT HAVE ANY MORE IN CARES ACT FUNDING AND SO SHE'S REACHED OUT TO PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP MAKE UP FOR THAT GAP.

SHE'S ALSO SPOKEN THOUGH ABOUT THE DIGITAL SLIDE, WHICH IS THE IDEA THAT A LOT OF KIDS ARE STILL LEARNING FROM HOME AND THE DISTRICT DESPERATELY NEEDS HELP WITH CONNECTIVITY ISSUES.

SOME STUDENTS DON'T HAVE WIFI, SOME STUDENTS STILL DON'T HAVE WORKING LAPTOPS.

SO SHE'S LOOKING FOR THOSE SAME GROUPS TO KIND OF HELP MEET THAT NEED, AS WELL.

>>SHANNON, THE GOVERNOR THIS WEEK CRITICIZED AS A QUOTE "DISGRACE," THAT'S THE WORD HE USED, THE NEW CDC GUIDELINES ON REOPENING SCHOOLS.

AND THE EDUCATION COMMISSIONER HERE IN FLORIDA TOLD DISTRICTS TO JUST IGNORE THEM.

SO WHAT'S THEIR BEEF WITH THE CDC?

>>WELL, THE CDC IS JUST GUIDANCE, SO THEY CAN SAY THAT IF THEY WANT.

BASICALLY WHAT THE CDC SAYS IS THAT IF YOUR COUNTY IS IN RED, WHICH MEANS THERE'S A HIGH NUMBER OF CASES IN IT, AT ONE POINT ALMOST ALL THE COUNTIES AT ONE TIME IN FLORIDA WERE IN RED, THAT YOU GO COMPLETELY VIRTUAL FOR MIDDLE AND FOR HIGH SCHOOLS.

BUT THE GOVERNOR AND RICHARD CORCORAN FOR THAT MATTER, HAS ALWAYS SAID THEY BELIEVE THAT PARENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE THE CHOICE, THAT THESE BRICK AND MORTAR SCHOOLS WILL STAY OPEN AND THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR.

AS LONG AS HE IS THE GOVERNOR OF THIS STATE, THE SCHOOLS WILL REMAIN OPEN AND YOU WILL NOT SEE THESE SCHOOLS ALL GO VIRTUAL, NO MATTER WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE.

HE'S BEEN VERY, VERY STRONG ABOUT THAT FROM THE BEGINNING AND HE CONTINUES TO BE SO, NO MATTER WHAT THE CDC SAYS.

>>DANIELLE, TEACHERS' UNIONS SAY THERE IS A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY AROUND COVID IN SCHOOLS, PARTICULARLY HIGH SCHOOL AND THEY HAVE BEEN SAYING THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

WHY DO TEACHERS STILL HAVE THESE SAFETY CONCERNS WHEN THE DATA THAT KEEPS COMING OUT SEEMS TO SHOW CAMPUSES ARE RELATIVELY SAFE?

IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S ALWAYS MIXED MESSAGES HERE WHEN IT COMES TO THIS.

>>I THINK THERE ARE CONCERNS THAT THOSE CASES ARE UNDER REPORTED TO BEGIN WITH.

AND THEN SECOND, JUST AGAIN, LIKE SHANNON WAS TALKING ABOUT, THOSE CDC GUIDELINES IF WE REALLY FOLLOWED THEM, MOST DISTRICTS SHOULD NOT BE OPERATING IN PERSON.

BUT AS A TEACHER, AS A FORMER TEACHER AND I'VE SPOKEN TO OTHER TEACHERS AS A REPORTER NOW, I THINK TEACHERS ARE CONCERNED THAT THEY'RE NOT GETTING THE VACCINE.

WE SEE PEOPLE OVER 65 GETTING THE VACCINE, OTHER FIRST FRONTLINE RESPONDERS GETTING THE VACCINE BEFORE THEM.

AND THESE TEACHERS REALLY NEED THAT VACCINE AS MORE AND MORE KIDS GO BACK TO IN-PERSON SCHOOL IT'S GOING TO BE HARDER TO ENFORCE THINGS LIKE SOCIAL DISTANCING AND MASK WEARING.

AND ESPECIALLY FOR TEACHERS WHO TEACH HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL, THEY KNOW THAT THEIR KIDS ARE SOCIALIZING MAYBE OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL WITHOUT PARENTAL SUPERVISION.

HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO COME BACK, OBVIOUSLY, AND GIVE THESE TEACHERS WHO HAVEN'T BEEN VACCINATED, THE CORONAVIRUS.

SOME OF THESE TEACHERS ARE AT RISK.

SO I THINK THERE'S JUST A LOT OF CONCERNS AS WE SEE MORE AND MORE KIDS GOING BACK TO SCHOOL WITH FEWER PROTECTIONS IN PLACE.

>>YEAH, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THIS AGAIN, NEXT WEEK.

OF COURSE, THE DEBATE OVER FUNDING IN CONGRESS COULD ALSO HAVE AN IMPACT ON MONEY FOR SCHOOLS, AS WELL.

AND IT'LL BE ONE OF THE ISSUES DEBATED IN THE UPCOMING FLORIDA LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

YOU CAN WATCH FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS'S STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS AND THE DEMOCRATS RESPONSE ON TUESDAY AT 2:00 PM HERE ON WUCF AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT HERE ON NEWSNIGHT NEXT WEEK.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT TONIGHT, ANOTHER ISSUE UP FOR DEBATE IN THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE THIS SESSION, CHANGES IN MAIL-IN VOTING.

GOVERNOR DESANTIS HAS ACKNOWLEDGED FLORIDA HAD A SMOOTH ELECTION LAST YEAR, BUT HE'S STILL CALLING FOR REFORMS.

STATE SENATOR DENNIS BAXLEY, A REPUBLICAN WHOSE DISTRICT COVERS PART OF MARION, SUMPTER AND LAKE COUNTIES HAS FILED LEGISLATION TO MAKE REGISTRATION FOR MAIL-IN BALLOTS GOOD FOR JUST ONE GENERAL ELECTION CYCLE, INSTEAD OF THE CURRENT TWO >>I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO MOVE IN FLORIDA.

WE'RE VERY MOBILE STATE AND I SEE PEOPLE MOVE SOMETIMES THREE OR FOUR TIMES IN A YEAR EVEN.

AND SO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT LOSING THESE LIVE BALLOTS AND LOSING CONNECTION WITH IT, WE REASSERT EACH YEAR THAT'S THE WAY YOU WANT TO VOTE.

2018 TO 19 WAS SOME NUMBERS I LOOKED AT.

WE HAD A 15% CHANGE IN ADDRESSES FOR PEOPLE MOVING, SO OVER A PERIOD OF TWO OR THREE YEARS, YOU COULD HAVE QUITE A DIFFERENCE.

>>SO HOW DO YOU ANSWER THE CRITICISM THAT THIS IS A SOLUTION LOOKING FOR A PROBLEM?

I MEAN, THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH MAIL-IN VOTING AT THE LAST ELECTION AND IN FACT, FLORIDA DID IT VERY WELL IN NOVEMBER.

>>WELL, I THINK THE KEY IN FLORIDA IS WE'D LIKE TO GET AHEAD OF ISSUES, WE DON'T WANT TO WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE A BIG PROBLEM BEFORE WE START WORKING ON IT.

WE DID HAVE A BIG PROBLEM IN 2000 AND EVER SINCE THEN, I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON ELECTION LAW TO SOME EXTENT.

IN 2010, I DID A COMPLETE REWRITE OF THE ELECTION LAW BECAUSE IT WAS SCATTERED ALL OVER THE PLACE.

AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN CHANGE POSITIONS SOMEBODY TOLD ME THAT MY POSITION WAS IN REVERSE IN 2006 OR SEVEN.

AND I SAID, "WE'RE JUST GOING BACK TO THE ANNUAL SELECTION OF 2007, SO WE'RE NOT REALLY DOING SOMETHING NEW."

>>BUT HAVE THERE BEEN CASES WHERE LIVE BALLOTS HAVE CAUSED PROBLEMS?

>>I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO KNOW THAT.

OVER THE YEARS, I'VE KIND OF TEST THE PULSE OF WHAT'S GOING ON DURING AN ELECTION.

I'LL WALK THROUGH THE POST OFFICE AND I'LL LOOK IN ALL THE GARBAGE CANS, YOU'VE GOT ALL THIS ELECTIONEERING MATERIAL THERE.

SO, IF YOU'VE GOT A PO BOX AND YOU GET SOMEBODY ELSE'S NAME ON IT, YOU USUALLY JUST THROW IT AWAY.

AND IF THEY ARE ALL LAYING OUT THERE WHO KNOWS WHAT COULD HAPPEN?

>>DEMOCRATS BASICALLY SAY THAT THEY SEE VOTER SUPPRESSION HERE AND THIS WILL JUST MAKE IT HARDER TO VOTE AND THAT IT WILL HURT PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY IN DEMOCRATIC DISTRICTS.

HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT CRITICISM?

>>THAT'S NOT MY THOUGHT PROCESS.

I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THAT PARTICULARLY AS TO HOW WE MAKE POLICY BUT I UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WOULD BE ON ALERT TO LOOK FOR THOSE THINGS.

WE DID A NUMBER OF THINGS TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITY IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.

WE'VE EXPANDED EARLY VOTING SITES, NUMBER OF EARLY VOTING DAYS.

THIS BILL ALSO EXPANDS THE NUMBER OF DAYS THEY HAVE TO DO THE EARLY CANVASSING.

>>WELL, DEMOCRATS HAVE HIT BACK AT THE PROPOSED CHANGES, AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE CARLOS GUILLERMO SMITH WROTE THIS ON TWITTER.

"LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT.

GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS WILL TRY TO MAKE IT HARDER TO VOTE AND WANTS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT VOTE BY MAIL DROP BOXES TO MAKE SOME WHACKED OUT QANON PEOPLE HAPPY?

SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT."

>>SHANNON, MAIL-IN VOTING HIT RECORD LEVELS IN NOVEMBER'S ELECTIONS.

IS THERE ANY INDICATION FROM THE REPORTING THAT YOU'VE SEEN, THAT BALLOT HARVESTING WHICH SENATOR BAXLEY IS CONCERNED ABOUT HERE, IS AN ISSUE IN FLORIDA.

>>WELL, NOT THIS TIME, THAT'S WHY I THINK THAT HIM PUTTING THIS FORWARD NOW WAS A LITTLE SUSPECT TO SO MANY BECAUSE FOR ONCE, FLORIDA SEEMED TO GET IT RIGHT.

THEY WEREN'T PART OF THE JOKES ON LATE NIGHT TELEVISION, THIS TIME AROUND.

I MEAN, EVEN THE GOVERNOR, YOU'VE HEARD HIM SAY, "HEY, FLORIDA DID IT RIGHT.

WE DID IT THE BEST.

IT WAS GREAT HERE."

SO DOING THIS NOW JUST SEEMS SUSPECT TO PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY DEMOCRATS WHO SAY YOU'RE DOING THIS BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME KEY REPUBLICANS THAT WILL COME UP FOR RE-ELECTION, PEOPLE LIKE MARCO RUBIO AND THIS IS WHY THIS IS COMING UP NOW.

>>DANIELLE, THE GOVERNOR HAS REALLY THROWN HIS WEIGHT BEHIND VOTE BY MAIL REFORMS, INCLUDING DROP BOXES, WHICH WERE EXTENSIVELY USED IN 2020.

SO LET'S TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT HE EXACTLY IS CALLING FOR.

>>HE'D LIKE TO SEE EVERYONE PUT THOSE BALLOTS DIRECTLY INTO THEIR SUPERVISORS OF ELECTIONS OFFICES AND MAILBOXES IN THAT AREA, INSTEAD OF USING THE DROP BOXES.

HE ALSO WANTS TO MAKE IT SO THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO REGISTER TO VOTE BY MAIL EVERY YEAR, INSTEAD OF EVERY OTHER YEAR AND JUST PUTTING ALL THESE EXTRA RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE IS GOING TO MAKE IT HARDER FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE BY MAIL.

HE ALSO DOESN'T JUST WANT TO SEND OUT VOTE BY MAIL BALLOTS TO EVERYBODY, BUT ONLY PEOPLE THAT REQUEST THEM.

SO AGAIN, QUESTIONING THE INTEGRITY OF A SYSTEM, WHICH HE PRAISED JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO.

>>AND SHANNON, LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME NUMBERS HERE.

DEMOCRATS CAST ABOUT 680,000 MORE MAIL-IN BALLOTS THAN REPUBLICANS IN 2020, BUT IN PRIOR ELECTIONS, REPUBLICANS CAST THE MOST.

BUT DEMOCRATS STILL THINK THESE PROPOSED CHANGES WILL AFFECT THEIR VOTERS DISPROPORTIONATELY, SO WHY DO THEY FEEL SO STRONGLY ABOUT THAT?

>>WELL, THEY WORRY ABOUT SOME VOTER SUPPRESSION HERE, THAT THIS COULD AFFECT FOLKS IN POOR COMMUNITIES.

THERE'S A CONCERN THAT YOU PUT IN YOUR APPLICATION, AT LEAST YOU HAVE TWO ELECTION CYCLES.

THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT DOING THIS MAY SQUASH SOME OF THE NEW VOTERS.

IF YOU HAVE FOLKS WHO DON'T KNOW THE VOTING PROCESS VERY WELL, AND THEY'VE ALREADY PUT THEIR APPLICATION IN ONCE, THEY'RE WORRIED THAT THEY MAY NOT DO IT YEAR AFTER YEAR, AFTER YEAR, BECAUSE IT'S A BIT OF A STRUGGLE.

BUT IF THEY HAD TWO YEARS, AT LEAST THOSE PEOPLE WERE ALREADY IN THE SYSTEM AND THEY COULD EASILY GET THEIR BALLOTS AND VOTE.

NOW IT TAKES SOME EXTRA WORK AND IN SOME OF THOSE COMMUNITIES, THEY STRUGGLE TO GET PEOPLE TO THE POLLS TO GET THOSE VOTES COUNTED.

THE DEMOCRATS ARE WORRIED THAT IF YOU MAKE PEOPLE DO THIS TOO MANY TIMES, THAT THEY WILL SLOWLY SEE A DROP IN THOSE MAIL-IN BALLOTS AND THEY DON'T WANT THAT, SEEING WHAT THEY SAW THIS LAST ELECTION ABOUT HOW HIGH THOSE MAIL-IN BALLOT NUMBERS WERE.

>>YEAH, IT'S A REALLY CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE AND ONE THAT WE'RE LIKELY TO SEE CONTINUE TO PLAY OUT OVER THE NEXT TWO AND IN FACT, FOUR YEARS, AS WELL.

AND YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO THE TEXT OF THAT SENATE BILL ON MAIL-IN VOTING ON OUR WEBSITE AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

OKAY.

FINALLY, TONIGHT, THE SUPERBOWL THIS MONTH, AGAIN BROUGHT THE SCOURGE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN FLORIDA BACK INTO THE SPOTLIGHT.

POLICE SAY THEY MADE A RECORD NUMBER OF ARREST AT THE EVENT.

75 PEOPLE WERE PICKED UP AS PART OF AN ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING STING LEADING UP TO THE GAME.

FOR A SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, FLORIDA ATTORNEY GENERAL ASHLEY MOODY'S OFFICE, PARTNERED WITH UBER TO HELP DRIVERS WORKING DURING THE SUPER BOWL SPOT SIGNS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

>>SPECIFIED TRAINING INCLUDES EDUCATIONAL CONTENT ON HOW TO SPOT AND REPORT HUMAN TRAFFICKING WHILE PICKING UP PASSENGERS.

>>IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING.

>>THE UBER PARTNERSHIP IS PART OF A GROWING TREND, BRINGING PUBLIC FACING WORKERS INTO THE FIGHT AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING AMID THE PANDEMIC, LYNX DRIVERS AND SUNRAIL CONDUCTORS RECEIVING TRAINING ON HOW TO SPOT THE SIGNS.

>>YOU'RE NOT JUST EDUCATING THE BUS OPERATORS, YOU'RE EDUCATING YOUR COMMUNITY.

SO THESE INDIVIDUALS GO BACK HOME AND THEN YOU HAVE MORE EYES AND EARS THAT IF THEY SEE SOMETHING, THEY CAN COMMUNICATE THAT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.

>>WORKERS AT SEVERAL PORTS AND AIRPORTS AROUND FLORIDA ARE PART OF SIMILAR PROGRAMS.

AND AS OF THIS YEAR, FLORIDA HOTEL EMPLOYEES ARE MANDATED TO RECEIVE HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS TRAINING ANNUALLY.

CALLS TO THE NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING HOTLINE ARE UP 40% SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN AND CENTRAL FLORIDA SHELTERS SAY THEY'RE SEEING THE RESULTS.

>>WE HAVE SEEN AT SAMARITAN VILLAGE, AN UPTICK IN THE NUMBER OF CALLS WHERE WOMEN ARE CALLING SEEKING SAFE HOUSING, CASE MANAGEMENT REFERRALS, AND THEY IDENTIFY AS VICTIMS OF SEX TRAFFICKING.

>>ALL RIGHT, SO THE METROPOLITAN BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, FOR ANY VIEWERS WHO MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR, IS A MULTI-AGENCY TASK FORCE THAT INVESTIGATES ORGANIZED CRIME HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

AND MBI SAYS, "DESPITE THAT INCREASE IN CALLS TO THE HOTLINE, THE NUMBER OF CASES BEING ACTUALLY FOLLOWED UP BY LAW ENFORCEMENT IS FLAT AND TIPS ARE DOWN."

SO SHANNON, DO WE KNOW MORE ABOUT WHY THAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING?

>>YEAH, THE DIRECTOR OF THE MBI SAID THE CONCERN WAS THAT WITHOUT PEOPLE MOVING AROUND, THERE'S NO CONVENTIONS, A LOT OF THE HOTELS THEY'RE NOT AT CAPACITY, ARE NOT OPEN, AND A LOT OF THAT IS WHERE THE TIPS CAME IN.

THAT THE HOTEL WORKERS HAVE BEEN TRAINED AND THEY KNOW WHEN SOMETHING JUST DOESN'T LOOK RIGHT.

THAT IS WHERE A LOT OF THE TIPS COME AND THAT'S WHERE LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN GO DOWN AND INVESTIGATE.

BUT WITHOUT A LOT OF MOVEMENT, ESPECIALLY IN THAT TOURIST DISTRICT, THEY'RE JUST NOT GETTING THE CALLS THAT THEY HOPED THAT THEY WOULD.

>>DANIELLE, ATTORNEY GENERAL MOODY AND OTHERS HAVE SOUNDED THE ALARM OF THE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC ON TRAFFICKING.

SHANNON JUST TOUCHED ON IT RIGHT NOW.

COVID-19 HAS REALLY MADE THIS TERRIBLE ISSUE WORSE.

>>IT HAS.

YEAH, I WAS ON A CALL, I THINK IT WAS LAST WEEK WITH REPRESENTATIVE MIKE WALTZ AND A BUNCH OF EXPERTS TALKING ABOUT TRAFFICKING.

AND THEY WERE JUST SAYING IT'S PUSHED TRAFFICKING ONLINE AND HE SEEN A VERY DISTURBING TREND HERE IN ORLANDO, ALONG WITH A DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, SPECIAL AGENT MIKE BUSBY, WHO SAID THAT HE'S JUST EXPERIENCED THIS SURGE OF CALLS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE ENGAGING IN COMMERCIAL SEX ONLINE.

SO, THE IDEA THERE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE, WOULD SELL PHOTOS OR ENGAGE IN THINGS ONLINE FOR QUICK MONEY AND THEN THESE TRAFFICKERS ARE ALSO ON THESE SITES AND ARE VERY EASILY GROOMING THEM AND MAKING THEM BASICALLY THEIR NEXT VICTIM.

IT'S VERY HARD TO REACH THESE YOUNG PEOPLE AND TO ENGAGE WHEN EVERYTHING IS VIRTUAL.

>>ALL RIGHT.

SO LOOKING BACK AT A SEGMENT THAT WE JUST DID ON THIS SHOW, WE HEARD IN OUR PREVIOUS SEGMENT ABOUT SCHOOLS, THAT DECLINING ENROLLMENT IN SCHOOLS IS A MAJOR ISSUE.

THE STATE SAYS ENROLLMENT IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS DOWN BY ABOUT NEARLY 90,000 IN THE PANDEMIC.

SO SHANNON, WHY DOES THAT HAVE HUMAN TRAFFICKING ADVOCATES CONCERNED?

THEY'RE SAYING THERE COULD BE A REAL CONNECTION HERE THAT COULD MAKE THIS ISSUE WORSE.

>>YEAH, THERE ARE SEVERAL LAYERS TO THIS.

FIRST OF ALL, THE FOLKS AT SCHOOL ARE TRAINED TO SPOT WHEN THEY THINK THAT THERE MAY BE SOMETHING WRONG.

IF THE KIDS ARE NOT IN SCHOOL, THEN THEY DON'T HAVE THAT EXTRA LAYER OF PROTECTION FROM TEACHERS AND COUNSELORS AND PRINCIPALS AND EVEN OTHER PARENTS.

THE OTHER ISSUE THE MBI TOLD ME WAS THAT WHEN KIDS AREN'T IN SCHOOL, THEY'RE SITTING AT HOME AND THEY'RE ON THEIR COMPUTERS.

THIS WHOLE RECRUITING EFFORT HAS REALLY RAMPED UP BY HUMAN TRAFFICKERS, THEY TELL ME.

AND WHEN THE KIDS ARE SITTING AT HOME, THEY'RE ON LINE WAY TOO MUCH AND THAT'S JUST MORE TIME FOR THESE TRAFFICKERS TO GROOM THEM SITTING IN FRONT OF THEIR COMPUTERS.

THE OTHER ISSUE THEY SAY, IF THEY'RE ALREADY PART OF THIS HUMAN TRAFFICKING RING, THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT IN SCHOOL THAT THEY COULD BE WORKING REALLY DOUBLE AND TRIPLE TIME.

BECAUSE THEY HAVE TIME DURING THE DAY, THEY'RE NOT COMING HOME EARLY BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY.

THAT IT JUST IS A MULTITUDE OF ISSUES, NOT HAVING KIDS IN SCHOOL AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE GIRLS AND BOYS ARE SAFE FROM THESE PREDATORS.

>>JUST AWFUL.

AND I THINK THIS SHOW REALLY DEMONSTRATES THAT WE STARTED OFF TALKING ABOUT HOW MORE VACCINES ARE COMING OUT AND PERHAPS MAYBE WE'RE SEEING A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL WITH THIS HORRIBLE PANDEMIC, BUT THE IMPACTS OF IT ARE SERIOUS AND WE'RE GOING TO BE DEALING WITH THEM AND OF COURSE COVERING THEM FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME.

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

WE DID COVER A LOT OF GROUND AND MY THANKS TO SHANNON BUTLER FROM WFTV CHANNEL 9 AND DANIELLE PRIEUR OF 90.7 WMFE, ALWAYS A GREAT SHOW WHEN YOU TWO ARE ON.

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

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT, HAVE A GOOD AND SAFE WEEKEND.