>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, FLORIDA'S SURGEON GENERAL UNVEILS NEW COVID 19 VACCINATION GUIDANCE FOR HEALTHY CHILDREN, BREAKING WITH CDC RECOMMENDATIONS, DISNEY COMES UNDER FIRE OVER FLORIDA'S PARENTAL RIGHTS IN EDUCATION LEGISLATION, WHAT OPPONENTS DUB THE DON'T SAY GAY BILL, AND FLORIDA LAWMAKERS PASS A BILL TACKLING DISCUSSIONS OVER RACISM AND SEXISM IN SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, AND CORPORATIONS, AS DEMOCRATS CRITICIZE A LACK OF ACTION ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

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.

AND 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 IN THE STUDIO, DANIELLE PRIEUR- >>HELLO AGAIN.

>>OF 90.7 WMFE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN, DANIELLE.

>>THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>>AND ERIK SANDOVAL OF WKMG CHANNEL SIX.

>>HOW YOU DOING?

>>GOOD.

THANK YOU.

>>I LISTEN TO YOU ALL THE TIME.

>>I LISTEN TO YOU AND I WATCH YOU ALL THE TIME.

>>THIS IS REALLY NEAT.

>>WELL, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS TIME.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR COMING IN TODAY.

APPRECIATE IT.

>>ALL RIGHT.

FIRST TONIGHT, DISNEY AND THE PASSAGE LAST WEEK OF HP 1557, PARENTAL RIGHTS IN EDUCATION, WHAT OPPONENTS CALL THE DON'T SAY GAY BILL.

THE CONTROVERSY OVER HB 1557'S REVERBERATED NATIONWIDE, THE WHITE HOUSE DESCRIBING THE LEGISLATION AS HATEFUL.

>>A BILL THAT WOULD DISCRIMINATE AGAINST FAMILIES, AGAINST KIDS, PUT THESE KIDS IN A POSITION OF NOT GETTING THE SUPPORT THEY NEED AT A TIME WHERE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEED, IS DISCRIMINATORY, IT'S A FORM OF BULLYING.

IT IS HORRIFIC.

I MEAN, THE PRESIDENT HAS SPOKEN TO THAT.

>>IN FLORIDA.

DISNEY'S BECOME A FOCAL POINT FOR BOTH OPPONENTS AND SUPPORTERS OF HB 1557.

MANY DEMOCRATS AND LGBTQ ADVOCATES, INCLUDING SOME DISNEY EMPLOYEES, HAVE CRITICIZED THE COMPANY FOR NOT USING ITS INFLUENCE TO TRY TO THWART PASSAGE OF THE BILL.

IN A MEMO TO STAFF LAST WEEK, CEO BOB CHAPEK WROTE, "THANK YOU TO ALL WHO'VE REACHED OUT TO ME SHARING YOUR PAIN, FRUSTRATION, AND SADNESS OVER FOR THE COMPANY'S RESPONSE TO THE FLORIDA DON'T SAY GAY BILL.

SPEAKING TO YOU, READING YOUR MESSAGES, AND MEETING WITH YOU HAVE HELPED ME BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW PAINFUL OUR SILENCE WAS.

YOU NEEDED ME TO BE A STRONGER ALLY IN THE FIGHT FOR EQUAL RIGHTS, AND I LET YOU DOWN.

I AM SORRY."

>>REPORTING BY THE MIAMI HERALD OUTLINES DISNEY'S BEHIND THE SCENES WORK AGAINST HB 1557, INCLUDING WORKING WITH REPUBLICAN SENATOR JEFF BRANDES ON AN UNSUCCESSFUL AMENDMENT TO REMOVE GENDER IDENTITY OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION FROM THE BILL AND REPLACE IT WITH HUMAN SEXUALITY OR SEXUAL ACTIVITY.

DISNEY'S COME UNDER FIRE FROM BILL OPPONENTS FOR ITS FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO POLITICIANS WHO SUPPORTED THE LEGISLATION, INCLUDING SENATE SPONSOR DENNIS BAXLEY AND GOVERNOR DESANTIS.

BUT HB 1557 SUPPORTERS SAY THEY REMAIN UNCONCERNED ABOUT DISNEY'S VIEWS ON THE BILL.

THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE SAYS HIS VIEWS REMAIN UNCHANGED.

AFTER SPEAKING WITH DISNEY CEO, BOB CHAPEK, THE GOVERNOR SEIZED AN OPPORTUNITY TO SLAM THE COMPANY, HIS REELECTION CAMPAIGN, RELEASING THIS VIDEO.

>>THE CHANCE THAT I AM GOING TO BACK DOWN FROM MY COMMITMENT TO STUDENTS AND BACK DOWN FROM MY COMMITMENT TO PARENTS RIGHTS SIMPLY BECAUSE OF FRAUDULENT MEDIA NARRATIVES OR PRESSURE FROM WOKE CORPORATIONS, THE CHANCES OF THAT ARE ZERO.

>>TAKING CRITICISM FROM BOTH SIDES, DISNEY SAYS IT'S PAUSING ALL POLITICAL DONATIONS IN FLORIDA AND STEPPING UP ITS SUPPORT FOR ADVOCACY GROUPS TO FIGHT SIMILAR LEGISLATION FILED IN OTHER STATES.

MEANWHILE, CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM TWEETED SUGGESTING DISNEY REEVALUATE IT'S DECISION TO RELOCATE SOME STAFF TO LAKE NONA FROM CALIFORNIA, NEWSOM WRITING ON TWITTER, "DISNEY, THE DOOR'S OPEN TO BRING THOSE JOBS BACK TO CALIFORNIA, THE STATE THAT ACTUALLY REPRESENTS THE VALUES OF YOUR WORKERS."

>>ALL RIGHT, WELL, ERIK, LET'S START, SHALL WE, WITH THE PAUSING OF THOSE POLITICAL DONATIONS, WHICH IS A PRETTY BIG DEAL IN FLORIDA RIGHT NOW.

HOW SIGNIFICANT IS DISNEY WHEN IT COMES TO DONATIONS TO FLORIDA POLITICIANS?

>>WELL, I ACTUALLY LOOKED A LITTLE BIT ONLINE, AND THIS IS ALL OPEN RECORDS WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE, THE DIVISION OF ELECTIONS, THIS ELECTION YEAR FOR 2022 SO FAR, I PULLED ALL OF THE DONATIONS THAT DISNEY HAD ALREADY MADE FOR THIS UPCOMING ELECTION.

IT GOES THREE PAGES LONG.

>>WOW.

>>IT GOES, DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS, EQUAL OPPORTUNITY CONTRIBUTOR HERE, BUT IT AMOUNTS TO WELL OVER ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS SO FAR.

DISNEY LIKES TO CONTRIBUTE TO POLITICAL ELECTIONS MAINLY BECAUSE THEY ARE ONE OF THE LARGEST EMPLOYERS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA AND IN FLORIDA PERIOD.

SO IT'S GOING TO MAKE A DENT, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE ELECTION HASN'T HAPPENED YET.

>>I MEAN, THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME, RIGHT, DANIELLE?

>>YEAH.

IT REALLY HAS.

>>I MEAN, THOSE OF US BEEN IN FLORIDA KNOW ABOUT DISNEY'S POLITICAL CLOUT.

I MEAN, EXPLAIN THE EXTENT OF SORT OF DISNEY'S LOBBYING WORK BROADLY IN THE STATE.

>>WELL, LIKE HE JUST SAID, THEY KIND OF CONTRIBUTE TO EVERYBODY, RIGHT?

I MEAN, IN 2020 THEY MADE $4.8 MILLION IN CONTRIBUTIONS.

BUT I THINK THE REASON WHY THE SPOTLIGHT HAS BEEN ON THEM IS THAT THEY DONATED TO EVERY SINGLE SPONSOR AND CO-SPONSOR ON THAT PARENTAL RIGHTS IN EDUCATION BILL OR THE DON'T SAY GAY BILL.

>>YEP.

>>SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE CONTROVERSY COMES FROM, AND THE FACT THAT, LIKE ERIK SAID, THEY JUST WAITED SO LATE TO MAKE ANY SORT OF STATEMENT ON THAT LEGISLATION.

>>AND BASED ON THOSE CONTRIBUTIONS, THEY'VE NOW DECIDED THAT THEY'RE GOING TO STOP CONTRIBUTING ALTOGETHER.

>>YES.

>>WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN BEYOND THEN, RIGHT, ERIK?

>>NO.

AND BOB CHAPEK SAID, "THIS IS TEMPORARY.

THIS IS WE'RE GOING TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS HERE," BUT HE ALSO DIDN'T GIVE A TIMELINE.

AND I THINK CANDIDATES AREN'T BANKING ON DISNEY CONTRIBUTIONS SO MUCH, BECAUSE THEY'RE ABOUT A $1000 A POP FOR THESE CONTRIBUTIONS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME A DISNEY CONTRIBUTION WOULD BE NICE.

>>LET'S TALK ABOUT THE REACTION TO DISNEY'S INVOLVEMENT HERE, ERIK.

I MEAN, WHAT'S THE MAIN LINE OF ATTACK FROM THE GOVERNOR?

WE HEARD A BIT THERE IN OUR STORY LEADING INTO THIS CONVERSATION, BUT IT'S BEEN PRETTY MUCH AN ALL OUT ASSAULT FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE ON DISNEY OVER THE LAST WEEK OR SO?

>>YEAH.

LET'S TAKE TWO STEPS BACK THOUGH.

THE REACTION TO DISNEY INTERNALLY WAS "WHY AREN'T YOU SAYING ANYTHING?"

AND I THINK YOU MADE MENTION OF THAT IN YOUR PIECE BEFORE THIS.

SO, BOB CHAPEK ANNOUNCED THAT HE HAD A WONDERFUL CONVERSATION WITH GOVERNOR DESANTIS ONE MORNING AND IT SOUNDED LIKE THINGS WERE ON THE MEND AND MAYBE WE MAY SEE SOME MOVEMENT.

MAYBE WE MAY SEE SOME GIVE AND TAKE AS FAR AS THIS BILL GOES.

THAT NIGHT IS WHEN THAT VIDEO THAT YOU JUST SHOWED OF HIM CALLING DISNEY, "WOKE," WENT TO FOX NEWS.

THAT SAME NIGHT THE DESANTIS CAMPAIGN SENT OUT A PRESS RELEASE USING THE EXACT SAME PHRASE, "A WOKE CORPORATION," NOT USING THAT IN A NICE TERM, USING IT AS A MORE RADICAL TERM.

AND SO NOW TALLAHASSEE IS BASICALLY FRAMING DISNEY AS THIS RADICAL, ANTI-FAMILY CORPORATION, WHEN DISNEY FOR THEIR PART SAYS THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE.

THEY'RE VERY FOR FAMILY.

>>AND OF COURSE, DEMOCRATS HAVE HIT THE GOVERNOR.

>>YEAH.

>>FOR SAYING OR FOR TAKING MONEY FROM DISNEY, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE SAYING THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE GOVERNOR NOT BEING BOUGHT, I GUESS, BY CORPORATIONS.

>>YEAH, YEAH.

>>DANIELLE, THE GOVERNOR'S FURIOUS REACTION TO DISNEY SORT OF REPORTEDLY TOOK DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS BY SURPRISE.

>>YES.

>>THE COMPANY'S PRETTY POLITICALLY IMPORTANT.

>>YEAH.

>>BUT WHAT'S THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF DISNEY IN CENTRAL FLORIDA?

>>THEY'RE ONE OF THE BIGGEST EMPLOYERS IN THIS AREA.

I MEAN, WE REMEMBER WHAT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT WAS WHEN THE PARKS CLOSED AT THE START OF THE PANDEMIC, STEVE.

AND SO WE ALL KNOW HOW BIG OF A PLAYER THEY ARE HERE.

AND DISNEY IS ONE OF THE TOP THREE SUPPORTERS OF REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES AND OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN THE STATE, INCLUDING RON DESANTIS HIMSELF.

>>I MEAN, ERIK, DISNEY LOBBIES ON A LOT OF ISSUES, BUT WHY HAS THE LGBTQ ISSUE BEEN PARTICULARLY FRAUGHT FOR THE COMPANY?

I MEAN, THE COMPANY'S EVOLVED ON THIS ISSUE, RIGHT?

>>OH, TOTALLY.

AND ACTUALLY I WAS JUST ABOUT TO SAY THAT EXACT SAME THING.

>>YEAH.

>>THEY HAVE EVOLVED BECAUSE IT WASN'T THAT LONG AGO THAT GAY AND LESBIAN PEOPLE HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA LAUNCHED GAY DAYS AT DISNEY, JUST AS A WAY TO SHOW UNITY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

I'M A MEMBER OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY, SO I CAN SAY I'VE SEEN EVOLUTION WITHIN THE DISNEY PROPERTY, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO GAY AND LESBIAN COMMUNITY.

THEY SELL MERCHANDISE WITH THE RAINBOW FLAG ON IT NOW.

SO I THINK THAT WAS PART OF THE INTERNAL FIGHTING, IF YOU WILL, WITH BOB CHAPEK, SAYING, "WHY AREN'T YOU SAYING ANYTHING ABOUT THIS BILL?"

BECAUSE THEY KNOW THERE'S A LARGE CONTINGENT OF LGBTQ PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY WORK FOR DISNEY.

>>YEAH.

GAY DAYS ARE REALLY BIG EVENTS.

>>YEAH.

>>STILL.

>>HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

>>YEAH.

>>AND HAS BEEN FOR MANY YEARS.

WELL, YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO DISNEY CEO BOB CHAPEK'S FULL STATEMENT ON OUR WEBSITE.

IT'S AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

>>WELL, THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION WAS EXTENDED INTO THIS WEEK TO ALLOW LAWMAKERS TO PASS A STATE BUDGET TOTALLING MORE THAN $112 BILLION.

IT FOLLOWED A FRENETIC FINAL FEW DAYS THAT INCLUDED PASSAGE OF HB 7, WHICH LIMITS CERTAIN DISCUSSIONS AROUND RACISM AND SEXISM IN CLASSROOMS AND CORPORATE SETTINGS AS WELL.

THE LEGISLATION ENTITLED INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM STEMMED FOR GOVERNOR DESANTIS CALL FOR A SO-CALLED STOP WOKE ACT TO TACKLE CRITICAL RACE THEORY.

OPPONENTS SAY HB 7 IS AN ATTEMPT TO WHITEWASH HISTORY.

SUPPORTERS SAY IT WON'T IMPACT THE TEACHING OF FACTS, AND SIMPLY PREVENTS THE INJECTION OF IDEOLOGY.

LAST WEEK WE HEARD FROM REPUBLICAN SENATOR DENNIS BAXLEY AND DEMOCRATIC STATE REPRESENTATIVE CARLOS GUILLERMO SMITH ON HB 1557 THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT.

I ALSO ASK THEM ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM BILL.

>>WE WANT TO SUPPORT THE VIEW THAT EVERY INDIVIDUAL MATTERS AND THAT WE'RE NOT CONTROLLED BY THESE MEGA FORCES THAT BECAUSE WE'RE WHITE OR BECAUSE WE'RE BLACK OR BECAUSE WE'RE YELLOW, THAT WE'RE SOMEHOW DIFFERENT OR SUPERIOR OR INFERIOR.

WE'RE TRYING TO OPEN THE DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL.

>>WE OPPOSE THIS LEGISLATION BECAUSE IT IS MORE STATE SPONSORED CENSORSHIP OF THE TEACHING OF HISTORY, NOT JUST IN OUR SCHOOLS, BUT ALSO IN THE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION TRAINING THAT'S HAPPENING IN WORKPLACES AND IN CORPORATE SPACES ACROSS THE STATE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

>>WELL, DARALENE JONES WHO COVERS ISSUES AROUND RACIAL JUSTICE FOR WFTV CHANNEL NINE HAS BEEN SPEAKING TO ADVOCATES ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS ISSUE.

>>I WAS IN A CALL RECENTLY WITH SOME EDUCATORS HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, AND THIS TOPIC CAME UP.

IT IS VERY TRICKY, AND I'M TELLING YOU, TEACHERS SPECIFICALLY, THEY ARE SCARED.

THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS.

THEY DON'T KNOW HOW THIS IS GOING TO CHANGE HOW THEY PRESENT HISTORY SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY IN OUR CLASSROOMS.

THE LANGUAGE AROUND IT IS SO AMBIGUOUS.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE PARENTS CALLING, COMPLAINING, GOING TO SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS CONCERNED THAT A TEACHER IN THE CLASSROOM HAS TAKEN IT TOO FAR.

AND ON THE BUSINESS SIDE OF ALL OF THIS AFTER, 2020 AND THE SOCIAL RECKONING, THE RACIAL RECKONING THAT WE HAD, A LOT OF BUSINESSES MADE A LOT OF PROMISES ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE HAD DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION MECHANISMS IN PRIVATE BUSINESSES.

AND SO WHAT DOES THIS DO FOR ALL OF THAT?

BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY WHAT THIS MEASURE COULD BE INTERPRETED FOR SOME IS THAT YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT ANYTHING THAT MAY MAKE ONE RACE FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE.

AND WHAT DOES THAT REALLY MEAN?

>>AND FROM THE REPUBLICANS YOU HEAR FROM WHAT IS THEIR MAIN REASON FOR WANTING THIS LEGISLATION?

>>SO FOR GOVERNOR DESANTIS AND REPUBLICANS, IN THEIR MINDS THIS IS ABOUT GIVING PARENTS A CHOICE AND MAKING SURE THAT PARENTS HAVE AN OPTION ON WHAT'S BEING INVOKED IN THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATION.

CRITICAL RACE THEORY, AS YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN VERY CONTROVERSIAL OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN SEEN AS SOMETHING THAT CAN SORT OF PUT A BURDEN OF GUILT ON WHITE STUDENTS AND COULD POTENTIALLY, IN THEIR VIEW, CAUSE PEOPLE TO HATE THEIR COUNTRY BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE VERY HORRIFIC THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN OUR COUNTRY SUCH AS SLAVERY.

>>DARALENE JONES THERE FROM WFTV.

AND JUST TO NOTE, DARALENE JONES WILL BE FILLING IN FOR ME AS HOST OF NEWSNIGHT FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.

ERIK, LET'S START WITH YOU ON THIS ONE.

THE SO-CALLED STOP WOKE ACT WAS ANOTHER PRIORITY FOR GOVERNOR DESANTIS IN THIS LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

SORT OF JUST OUTLINE WHAT THE BILL DOES IN TERMS OF WHAT IT PREVENTS.

>>OKAY.

I WANT TO GET THIS RIGHT.

>>YES.

>>SO I ACTUALLY BROUGHT THE TEXT OF THE BILL.

THE BILL ACTUALLY BANS, "WORKPLACE TRAININGS OR SCHOOLS FROM TEACHING ANYBODY INHERENTLY RACIST, SEXIST, OR OPPRESSIVE, WHETHER CONSCIOUSLY OR UNCONSCIOUSLY, OR THAT ANYONE IS PRIVILEGED OR OPPRESSED DETERMINED BY HIS OR HER RACE, COLOR, SEX, OR NATIONAL ORIGIN."

IT ALSO PROHIBITS INSTRUCTION THAT PEOPLE SHOULD FEEL GUILTY FOR MAYBE WHAT ANCESTORS HAVE DONE TO A PARTICULAR RACE OR A NATIONAL ORIGIN.

>>AND I GUESS ONE OF THE HITS ON IT IS THAT CRITICS SAY, "WELL, THAT'S A BIT VAGUE.

TEACHERS MIGHT NOT QUITE KNOW HOW TO INTERPRET WHAT'S IN THERE."

>>JUST A BIT.

YEAH.

>>BUT I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THE BILL.

>>I THINK THAT'S WHAT DARALENE WAS SAYING TOO.

>>YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.

>>THAT TEACHERS ARE GOING TO BE RIDING A FINE LINE.

>>ABSOLUTELY.

>>IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH FOR THEM.

I MEAN, DANIELLE, YOU USED TO BE TEACHER, RIGHT?

>>I WAS.

IN MICHIGAN.

>>IN MICHIGAN.

>>YEAH.

>>HB 1557, WHICH WE WERE JUST DISCUSSING, LIKE THAT BILL, THIS ONE OPENS UP AVENUES FOR PEOPLE TO INITIATE LEGAL ACTION.

>>RIGHT.

>>RIGHT.

DO WE HAVE A CLEAR IDEA WHAT WOULD ALLOW SOMEONE TO SUE UNDER THIS LEGISLATION, GIVEN THOSE SORT OF VAGARIES THAT WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT?

>>SO YOU HAVE TO WORK AT A COMPANY WITH 15 OR MORE PEOPLE, BUT LIKE ERICK SAID, IT'S QUITE KIND OF, WE'LL SEE, I GUESS, WE'LL WAIT AND SEE.

IT'S REALLY IF YOU'VE BEEN MADE TO FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE.

THINK ABOUT THE CULTURAL SENSITIVITY TRAINING THAT WE ALL DO.

>>THE HR TRAINING.

EXACTLY, YEAH.

>>RIGHT?

THE HR TRAINING THAT WE ALL DO.

AND IF SOMEONE'S MADE TO FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE, IF THEY FEEL LIKE THEY LEARNED A LITTLE TOO MUCH OR TALKED A LITTLE TOO MUCH ABOUT LGBTQ RIGHTS OR BLACK HISTORY OR CIVIL RIGHTS HISTORY, AND IT MADE THEM FEEL, LIKE ERIK READ, INFERIOR OR IN SOME WAYS GUILTY.

>>YEAH.

>>OR UNCOMFORTABLE, THEN THEY CAN SUE THEIR EMPLOYER.

THESE ARE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WILL BE SUED IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, FOR SURE.

AND AS A FORMER TEACHER, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE TEACHERS TAKING THINGS OUT OF CURRICULUM AND TAKING THINGS OUT OF THEIR CLASSROOM LIBRARY THAT MIGHT GET THEM IN TROUBLE.

I THINK THEY'LL START TO SELF-POLICE.

>>YEAH.

THAT'S CERTAINLY WHAT DARALENE WAS SAYING.

WELL, CRITICS SAY CRT ISN'T TAUGHT IN FLORIDA CLASSROOMS ANYWAY, AND THAT THIS IS PART OF A BROADER RESULT ON FREE SPEECH AND MINORITIES.

HERE'S DEMOCRATIC SENATOR SHEVRIN JONES.

>>THIS IS RIDICULOUS.

FORGET IT BEING UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

IT'S NOT NEEDED.

CHILDREN SHOULD BE ABLE TO LEARN TRUE HISTORY.

I DON'T CARE IF IT'S BLACK HISTORY.

I DON'T CARE IF IT'S JEWISH HISTORY.

WE SHOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY, IN 2022, WHERE YOUR FIVE BLACK MEMBERS IN THIS ROOM HAVE TO STAND UP AND DEFEND OURSELVES.

>>SHEVRIN JONES THERE.

WELL, ERIK, THAT WAS THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE OF THE AISLE.

THE GOP HAS SEEN A BROAD PUSHBACK AGAINST CRITICAL RACE THEORY OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO, EVEN THOUGH THIS BILL DOESN'T MENTION CRT BY NAME.

WHY DOES SUPPORTERS SAY THAT THIS IS NECESSARY?

DARALENE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT.

>>WELL, AND I THINK, I FORGOT WHO THE REPRESENTATIVE WAS, BUT I THINK IT WAS ACTUALLY IN RESPONSE TO THAT PIECE OF SOUND THAT WE JUST SAW FROM TALLAHASSEE.

THE RESPONSE TO THAT WAS, "THERE IS NO BLACK HISTORY.

THERE IS NO LGBTQ HISTORY.

THERE IS ONLY AMERICAN HISTORY."

AND THAT IS BASICALLY THE PUSHBACK OF MANY REPUBLICANS WHO ARE SUPPORTING THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION.

SENATOR MANNY DIAZ OF MIAMI DADE, ALSO.

HE SAYS THAT HIS ANCESTORS CAME FROM CUBA AND THE REASON THAT THEY FLED TO AMERICA IN THE FIRST PLACE WAS TO HAVE A FREE FORM OF EDUCATION AND TO NOT SO MUCH HAVE INDOCTRINIZATION HAPPEN WITHIN THE CLASSROOM.

AND HE ARGUES THAT THIS IS IN FACT THAT, THAT'S WHY HE IS SUPPORTING THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION.

>>YEAH.

I MEAN, REPUBLICANS DO SAY THAT IF TEACHERS CAN'T DISTINGUISH BETWEEN HISTORY AND IDEOLOGY, THEN THOSE TEACHERS SHOULD BE FORCED OUT OF THE GAME.

I MEAN, DANIELLE, I WANT TO TURN TO A DIFFERENT SUBJECT ALTOGETHER BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO RUN OUT OF TIME OTHERWISE.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET THAT PASSED THIS WEEK.

>>RIGHT.

>>IT INCLUDES 800 MILLION FOR TEACHERS SALARY INCREASES.

>>YES.

>>STAYING WITH EDUCATION HERE.

>>WHICH IS EXCITING.

>>RIGHT.

>>YEAH.

>>AND BEING A FORMER TEACHER.

>>YAY.

>>BUT IT PENALIZES SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT DEFIED GOVERNOR ON THOSE MASK MANDATES.

>>THAT'S RIGHT.

>>THAT WERE IMPLEMENTED DURING THE DELTA SURGE, INCLUDING ORANGE AND BREVARD COUNTIES.

>>YES.

AND VOLUSIA.

>>HOW DOES IT DO THAT?

AND VOLUSIA AS WELL.

>>YEAH.

THERE'S 55 SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT'LL GET TO SHARE $200 MILLION.

>>YEAH.

>>AND THE 12 DISTRICTS THAT REQUIRED FACE MASKS OF STUDENTS WON'T GET TO HAVE ANY OF THAT MONEY.

>>AND BREVARD STATE REP RANDY FINE.

>>YES.

>>WAS ONE OF THE KEY- >>HE PUSHED THIS REALLY.

>>HE PUSHED FOR THAT.

>>YEAH.

>>ERIK, I MEAN, CENTRAL FLORIDA DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN HIGHLY CRITICAL OF THE LACK OF LEGISLATIVE ACTION ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH- >>OH, THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE, YEAH.

>>WHEN I TALKED TO CARLOS GUILLERMO SMITH ABOUT THESE BILLS THAT WE WERE JUST DISCUSSING, THESE PRIORITIES IN THE BUDGET, THEY SAY THAT THE FOCUS SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS, INSURANCE, HOUSING INSURANCE REFORM HERE IN THE STATE.

THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

IT WASN'T FOR A LACK OF TRYING.

RIGHT?

>>NO.

I INTERVIEWED ACTUALLY ANNA ESKAMANI.

SHE IS STILL TRYING TO PUSH THROUGH SOME KIND OF REPEAL OF THE LAW THAT PREVENTS RENT CONTROL IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

AND THAT WAS MADE YEARS AGO.

I DID A STORY ON A MAN AND HIS FATHER WHO LIVED TOGETHER IN THE ROSEMONT AREA OF ORLANDO.

THEY JUST GOT THEIR RENEWAL NOTICE FOR THEIR RENT.

IT'S GOING UP 65%, FROM $995 A MONTH TO $1,645 A MONTH.

>>OH MY GOD.

>>IT'S OUTRAGEOUS.

BUT TO YOUR POINT, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS AN UMBRELLA, IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

THERE'S SADOWSKI FUNDS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN PROPERLY ALLOCATED TO COUNTIES TO HELP WITH THEIR AFFORDABLE HOUSING ISSUES, BUILDING NEW HOUSING.

AND YEAH, TO YOUR POINT, HASN'T BEEN DONE.

>>I WANT TO FINISH OFF THIS SEGMENT BY TALKING ABOUT A RARE BIT OF BIPARTISANSHIP IN TALLAHASSEE.

>>DIAPERS, STEVE?

>>DIAPERS.

>>DIAPERS.

>>THE BUDGET INCLUDES THIS ITEM THAT WAS CHAMPIONED BY A COUPLE OF ORLANDO STATE REPS, TAX BREAKS ON DIAPERS.

WHAT ARE THE DETAILS ON THAT?

>>SO FOR A YEAR, DIAPERS FOR KIDS WILL BE TAX FREE, WHICH IS VERY EXCITING.

SO THESE ARE THE REUSABLE KIND, THE DISPOSABLE KIND, DIAPER INSERTS, AND SHOES AND CLOTHES FOR KIDS UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE.

BUT IT IS ONLY FOR A YEAR.

IT DOESN'T INCLUDE ADULT INCONTINENCE PRODUCTS, BUT HOPEFULLY ANNA ESKAMANI IS GOING TO PUSH THAT THROUGH HOPEFULLY NEXT SESSION, ALONG WITH LAUREN BOOK.

>>THAT HELPS PARENTS.

>>IT SO DOES.

AND CAREGIVERS.

YEAH, IN A REALLY BIG WAY.

>>DEFINITELY WILL BE WELCOMED BY LOT OF THE PEOPLE FOR SURE.

WELL, IT'S A RECORD BUDGET AND THERE'S A LOT IN IT, INCLUDING $10 MILLION FOR THE FLORIDA STATE GUARD AND $200 MILLION FOR A ONE MONTH GAS TAX MORATORIUM IN OCTOBER.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU ON WHAT YOU LIKE OR DON'T LIKE ABOUT THE BUDGET.

JOIN OUR CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

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

>>ALL RIGHT, FINALLY, TONIGHT.

FLORIDA'S GUIDANCE ON COVID 19 VACCINATION FOR KIDS.

THE STATE SURGEON GENERAL ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK THAT HE WOULD CONTRADICT THE CDCS GUIDANCE AND RECOMMEND AGAINST CORONAVIRUS VACCINATION FOR HEALTHY CHILDREN.

THE UNVEILING OF THE POLICY CAME AT A GATHERING OF LOCKDOWN AND MANDATE SKEPTICAL DOCTORS LAST WEEK, HOSTED BY THE GOVERNOR, AND CALLED THE CURTAIN CLOSE ON COVID THEATER.

>>I THINK JUST IN A TIMELY FASHION, WE JUST SAW A FEW, MAYBE A WEEK AGO, MAYBE LESS, A STUDY OUT OF NEW YORK THAT LOOKED AT, I THINK KIDS BETWEEN FIVE AND 11, AND BASICALLY FOUND THAT WHATEVER PROTECTION THAT WAS PROVIDED FROM HOSPITALIZATIONS DROPPED 50% OR MORE AFTER ONLY A FEW WEEKS.

AND ALREADY THE RATES WERE LOW, SO WE'RE KIND OF SCRAPING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL, PARTICULARLY WITH HEALTHY KIDS, IN TERMS OF ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO QUANTIFY WITH ANY ACCURACY AND ANY CONFIDENCE THE EVEN POTENTIAL OF BENEFIT.

>>WELL, THE LATEST FLORIDA COVID POLICY, WHICH STATES THAT HEALTHY CHILDREN AGED FIVE TO 17 MAY NOT BENEFIT FROM RECEIVING CURRENTLY AVAILABLE COVID 19 VACCINES HAS ONCE AGAIN DRAWN CRITICISM FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.

IT'S ALSO RECEIVED PUSHBACK FROM MANY DOCTORS, INCLUDING ORLANDO PEDIATRICIAN DR. CANDICE JONES.

I SPOKE WITH DR. JONES THIS WEEK.

>>I OPPOSE THAT, ALONG WITH THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS AND OTHER HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE ALL TRUST, THAT REPRESENT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOCTORS WHO RECOMMEND VACCINATION AGAINST COVID 19.

AND EVERYONE WHO IS ELIGIBLE, WHICH INCLUDES CHILDREN FIVE AND UP.

SO I THINK THIS IS UNDERMINING OUR PUBLIC HEALTH EFFORTS AS VACCINES ARE AN IMPORTANT LAYER OF PROTECTION.

SO I DON'T AGREE WITH THIS AT ALL.

>>CANDICE, HOW DO YOU ANSWER THE ARGUMENT THAT THE RISKS TO HEALTHY KIDS FROM COVID 19 ARE LOW, THERE ARE SIDE EFFECTS TO THE VACCINE, SUCH AS MYOCARDITIS, AND THAT STUDIES SHOW THE VACCINE WANES RAPIDLY IN YOUNG PEOPLE?

>>WE KNOW THAT MILLIONS OF CHILDREN HAVE RECEIVED THIS VACCINE SAFELY, MY TWO CHILDREN INCLUDED.

WE KNOW THAT SIDE EFFECTS, YES, THEY ARE POSSIBLE, AND THEY ARE KNOWN.

THEY ARE CAREFULLY TRACKED AND MONITORED.

THIS MYOCARDITIS FROM THE VACCINE IS MILD AND IT RESOLVES QUICKLY WITH LITTLE TO NO INTERVENTION, JUST MONITORING FROM DOCTORS, IN COMPARISON TO MYOCARDITIS, PERICARDITIS AND HEART FAILURE DUE TO COVID INFECTION.

WE DO HAVE MORE INFORMATION THAT HAS COME OUT THAT I BELIEVE THE SURGEON GENERAL QUOTED AND AGAIN MISREPRESENTED OUT OF NEW YORK THAT SHOWED WITH THIS OMICRON VARIANT THAT THE VACCINE IN THIS FIVE TO 11 AGE GROUP HAD LOST SOME EFFECTIVENESS TO PREVENT DISEASE, HOWEVER, HE DID NOT SHARE THAT IT IS HOLDING STRONG IN PREVENTING HOSPITALIZATIONS AND DEATHS.

SO THE BENEFITS OF THIS VACCINE OUTWEIGH THE RISK.

>>ALL RIGHT.

WELL, WE HEARD BOTH THE SURGEON GENERAL AND DR. CANDICE JONES THAT TALK ABOUT THIS DATA.

>>YEAH.

>>I MEAN, WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THIS DATA THAT FLORIDA IS USING TO SORT OF BASE THIS DECISION UPON?

>>IT TENDS NOT TO BE VERY WELL PEER REVIEWED.

THE OTHER SIDE, AND THE OTHER OPINION, TENDS TO BE JUST AS WELL STUDIED AND RESEARCHED.

I THINK THE OTHER PART IS THE MYOCARDITIS PART, BUT JUST AS MANY STUDIES HAVE ACTUALLY SHOWN THAT YOUNG BOYS CAN GET MYOCARDITIS FROM COVID IF THEY'RE NOT VACCINATED.

SO EITHER WAY YOU CAN GET THIS HEART CONDITION.

I THINK ULTIMATELY IT'S UP TO FAMILIES TO READ THE RESEARCH THEMSELVES.

YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND A PAPER THAT'S GOING TO SUPPORT KIND OF EITHER VIEW BUT THERE ARE JUST AS MANY PAPERS THAT SAY THAT THESE VACCINES ARE SAFE AND THAT THEY DO A GOOD JOB KEEPING KIDS OUT OF HOSPITALS.

AND WE'VE SEEN THAT HERE IN ORLANDO >>ABSOLUTELY.

>>I MEAN, ERIK, WHAT'S THE CDC SAID ABOUT THE TOLL COVID 19 HAS TAKEN ON KIDS UNDER 17, PARTICULARLY IN FLORIDA?

>>WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THE CDC REALLY CAME OUT AGAINST WHAT LADAPO SAID.

>>YEAH.

>>AND THEY SAID PARENTS REALLY NEED TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT THIS, FOR THE VACCINE, BUT THE CDC, 1600 YOUTHS ACROSS THE NATION UNDER THE AGE OF 17 HAVE DIED, THAT'S 1600 FROM COVID 19, 40 OF THEM HERE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

AND I THINK WE REALLY SAW MORE OF THE KIDS GET COVID 19 DURING THE OMICRON OUTBREAK, WHERE BEFORE IT WAS MOSTLY ADULTS.

BUT YEAH, THAT'S WHAT CDC'S SAYING, AT LEAST.

>>WELL, CERTAINLY THE PANDEMIC CONTINUES TO BE A POLITICAL LIGHTNING ROD, EVEN AS WE SEE LOW CASES HERE IN THE STATE RIGHT NOW, AND YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO THE GUIDANCE FROM THE SURGEON GENERAL ON OUR WEBSITE, IT'S AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

YOU CAN READ THAT FOR YOURSELF.

WELL, THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK.

MY THANKS TO DANIELLE PRIEUR FROM WMFE AND ERIK SANDOVAL OF WKMG.

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.