>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, HOUSING IN THE SPOTLIGHT AGAIN, AS ORANGE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DEBATE HOW TO RESPOND TO SKY HIGH RENTS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, LGBTQ GROUPS SUE TO STOP FLORIDA'S PARENTAL RIGHTS IN EDUCATION LEGISLATION, AS THE DEBATE CONTINUES TO RAGE OVER WHAT OPPONENTS CALL THE DON'T SAY GAY LAW, AND AMERICA'S FIRST COMPLETELY PRIVATE MISSION TO THE ISS MARKS ANOTHER HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE SPACE COAST.

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO, I'M MATTHEW PEDDIE FROM WUSF STANDING IN FOR STEVE MORT THIS WEEK.

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

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

JOINING US THIS WEEK ARE ALEXA LORENZO FROM WFTV CHANNEL NINE.

WELCOME.

>>THANK YOU.

>>ALSO JOINED BY PETER KING FROM CBS RADIO.

PETER, THANK YOU AS WELL.

>>THANK YOU.

>>WELL, FIRST TONIGHT, THE DRAMATIC RISE IN RENTS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA CONSTITUTES A HOUSING EMERGENCY.

THAT'S ACCORDING TO A REPORT PRESENTED BY ORANGE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS THIS WEEK.

COMMISSIONERS ARE CONSIDERING A RENT STABILIZATION PLAN, WHICH WOULD CAP INCREASES AT 5% OR THE RATE OF INFLATION, WHICHEVER IS LESS, FOR LANDLORDS THAT OWN AT LEAST FOUR UNITS.

OTHERWISE PROPERTY OWNERS WOULD HAVE TO GIVE TENANTS A MINIMUM OF 60 DAYS NOTICE OF AN INCREASE.

COMMISSIONER EMILY BONILLA SAYS RENTS HAVE SHOT UP NEARLY 30% ON AVERAGE YEAR ON YEAR IN ORANGE COUNTY.

>>RESIDENTS ARE BEING FORCED TO REALLOCATE DISCRETIONARY INCOME TO PAY HIGHER RENT.

LOCAL RESTAURANTS AND BUSINESSES ARE GOING TO QUICKLY REALIZE THIS IMPACT.

THERE'S LESS DISCRETIONARY SPENDING, WHICH WILL NEGATIVELY IMPACT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, DISSUADING FUTURE BUSINESSES FROM RELOCATING TO ORANGE COUNTY BUT CAN ORANGE COUNTY LEGALLY IMPLEMENT A RENT CONTROL ORDINANCE?

STATE STATUTE ALLOWS COUNTIES TO DO SO ONLY WHEN, "AN EXISTING HOUSING EMERGENCY IS SO GRAVE AS TO CONSTITUTE A SERIOUS MENACE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC."

ACCORDING TO A COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE MEMO, FLORIDA COURTS HAVE YET TO INTERPRET WHAT THAT MENACE WOULD LOOK LIKE.

AND UNDER STATE LAW, A RENT STABILIZATION PLAN WOULD NEED TO MEET SEVERAL STATUTORY CRITERIA AND RESTRICTIONS, INCLUDING ALLOWING EXEMPTIONS FOR LUXURY APARTMENT BUILDINGS AND VACATION PROPERTIES.

>>THE STATUTE FLIPS THE BURDEN OF PROOF.

WE'RE THERE TO BE A LEGAL CHALLENGE.

TYPICALLY THE BURDEN OF PROOF IS ON THE PERSON CHALLENGING THE ORDINANCE, BUT HERE IT WOULD MOST LIKELY BE ON THE COUNTY TO PROVE THAT THE GRAVE HOUSING EMERGENCY EXISTS IN FACT.

HOW DO WE PROVE THOSE KINDS OF THINGS?

AGAIN, IT'S NOT CLEAR.

THIS HASN'T BEEN DONE BEFORE.

>>ADVOCATES FOR RENTERS SAY WAGES IN CENTRAL FLORIDA ARE FAILING TO KEEP UP WITH RISING COSTS, LEAVING MANY RESIDENTS SEVERELY COST BURDENED.

>>SHE'S GIVEN A SOLUTION.

I'M NOT SOLD ON THAT SOLUTION.

>>ORANGE COUNTY'S RENT TO INCOME RATIO STANDS AT ABOUT 40%, BUT SOME LANDLORDS SAY THEY'RE SUFFERING FINANCIALLY IN THE WAKE OF THE PANDEMIC RESULTING IN THE NEED TO RAISE RENTS.

>>WELL, COMMISSIONERS WILL TAKE UP THE ISSUE AGAIN AT A PUBLIC HEARING IN JUNE TO CONSIDER HOLDING A REFERENDUM ON IMPLEMENTING A RENT STABILIZATION ORDINANCE ALSO REQUIRED BY STATE LAW.

ALEXA, LET'S START WITH YOU AND THE LEGAL QUESTION.

MAYOR DEMING SAYS HE'S UNSURE IF HE CAN BACK THIS IDEA YET BECAUSE OF THE UNKNOWN.

SO ONE ISSUE SEEMS TO BE THIS LACK OF LEGAL PRECEDENT.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER JURISDICTIONS WHERE THEY'RE LOOKING AT DOING SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THIS?

>>SO THE LANGUAGE IS VERY IMPORTANT AND YOU MENTIONED IT IN THAT PIECE THERE.

THEY ARE UNALLOWED TO DO THIS UNLESS THERE IS THE NEED TO ELIMINATE A "EXISTING HOUSING EMERGENCY, WHICH IS SO GRAVE IT CONSTITUTES AS A SERIOUS MENACE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC."

BUT WHAT THAT MEANS, THERE'S NO DEFINITION BEHIND IT.

IT HAS NOT BEEN INTERPRETED BY A FLORIDA COURT EVER THROUGH THE YEARS.

SO THAT IS THE LEGALITY THAT IS KIND OF TEETERING RIGHT NOW.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.

SO THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT THAT, OKAY, WHAT WE CAN DO IS THAT ORDINANCE TO GIVE TENANTS A 60 DAY NOTICE BEFORE INCREASING THEIR RENT BY MORE THAN 5%.

THAT HAS PASSED IN OTHER PARTS IN FLORIDA.

THAT'S RECENTLY BEEN OKAYED IN THE CITY OF TAMPA AND IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY.

SO IT'S HAPPENED, THAT ORDINANCE, BUT THE BIGGER PICTURE THAT COMMISSIONER BONILLA IS PUSHING FOR OR STARTED TO PUSH FOR THAT HAS NOT.

>>PETER, WE'VE ALL COVERED HOUSING AND THE HOUSING CRISIS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

HOW DOES OUR REGION STACK UP NATIONALLY IN REGARD TO THE SEVERITY OF THIS PROBLEM?

>>WELL, I'LL TELL YOU THIS, THE NUMBERS ARE OFF THE CHARTS.

I WENT AND TOOK A LOOK AT RENT.COM.

THEY HAVE A YEAR TO YEAR LISTING.

ORLANDO IS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TOP 10 WITH 42.4% YEAR TO YEAR AS OF JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO.

LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, THE RISES THERE AVERAGE ABOUT 57%.

AND IF YOU WANT TO GET INTO A TWO BEDROOM APARTMENT IN FRESNO, CALIFORNIA, THE RENT FOR THAT HAS GONE UP MORE THAN 71% IN THE LAST YEAR.

THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE OUT THERE TOO FROM PEOPLE, NOT JUST HERE IN FLORIDA, BUT AROUND THE COUNTRY WHO ARE SAYING, "I HAD AN APARTMENT THAT WAS NICE.

IT WAS ABOUT $1000 A MONTH, MAYBE EVEN A LITTLE LESS THAN THAT.

THE BUILDING GOT SOLD.

THE HOUSE I LIVED IN GOT SOLD.

I HAD TO FIND SOMETHING ELSE, SOMETHING ELSE."

AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING COMPARABLE.

WHAT'S HAPPENING A LOT IS THAT PEOPLE ARE FINDING SMALLER PLACES, BUT PAYING A WHOLE LOT MORE.

RENTS JUMPING FROM 900 OR $100 MONTH TO $1,500 A MONTH.

THERE WAS A SARASOTA MAN WHO WAS INTERVIEWED BY THE GUARDIAN WHO SAYS THAT 1500 A MONTH FOR A SMALLER APARTMENT BECAME $2,000 A MONTH.

>>WOW.

>>JUST A FEW MONTHS AFTER HE MOVED IN.

IT'S A CRISIS.

>>YEAH.

WELL, ALEXA, YOUR COLLEAGUES HAVE BEEN TALKING TO TENANTS AND LANDLORDS THIS WEEK ABOUT THIS STORY AND PROPERTY OWNERS SAY THEY'VE SUFFERED AND NEED TO MAKE UP THOSE PANDEMIC LOSSES.

SO WHAT ARE THE TWO SIDES SAYING?

>>SO THERE'S AGREE, DISAGREE, AND THEN THE THIRD SIDE WOULD BE INDIFFERENCE, BUT MOST PEOPLE HAVE PICKED A SIDE HERE.

WE'VE TALKED TO LANDLORDS WHO ACTUALLY AGREE AND WHO DISAGREE.

ONE LANDLORD SAID, "ANY DECENT LANDLORD WOULD NOT SKYROCKET THEIR TENANTS PRICE."

ANOTHER LANDLORD SAID, "HEY, LISTEN, GROCERY PRICES HAVE GONE THROUGH THE ROOF AND NO ONE'S SAYING 'PUBLIX, WE'RE GOING TO PUT A CAP ON YOU.

WALMART, WE'RE GOING TO PUT A CAP ON YOU.

GAS PRICES, NO ONE SAID CHEVRON OR WHOEVER.'"

SO THERE IS THAT KIND OF BOTH SIDES WHERE THEY WANT TO SEE A SOLUTION.

BUT FOR THE MOST PART, THEY AREN'T FINDING THAT AGREEMENT LINE JUST YET.

>>AND, PETER, CENTRAL FLORIDA LAW MAKERS HAVE BEEN CRITICAL OF THE LEGISLATURE FOR FAILING TO ACT ON HOUSING ISSUES IN THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND FOR TAPPING THE SADOWSKI FUND AGAIN.

>>A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SADOWSKI FUND IS ALL ABOUT.

IT'S BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR DECADES AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO HELP FUND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

BUT THE ORLANDO SENTINEL HAS REPORTED THAT STATE LAWMAKERS HAVE BLED BASICALLY ABOUT $100 MILLION FROM THE SADOWSKI FUND OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS FOR OTHER THINGS, MOST RECENTLY THE HOMETOWN HERO HOUSING PROGRAM FOR DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE AND CLOSING COSTS.

THESE ARE FOR HOME BUYERS, NOT FOR RENTS.

THE PROBLEM IS THIS KIND OF EXISTS ON PAPER, BUT IT'S NOT A REAL THING.

THERE IS NO FORMULATION FOR WHO QUALIFIES AND HOW AND A LOT OF THIS IS ON PAPER.

THE BILL PRETTY MUCH WAS KILLED IN COMMITTEES.

SO IT'S SORT OF IN LIMBO AND YOU WONDER WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING TO?

>>RIGHT.

SO BASICALLY THE LOCAL LAWMAKERS ARE SAYING, "STATE'S NOT DOING THEIR JOB.

IT'S NOW UP TO US TO TRY AND SOLVE THIS PROBLEM."

>>WELL, THE STATE LAWMAKERS HAD OTHER PRIORITIES.

AND ONE OF THOSE IS SOMETHING WE'RE ABOUT TO TALK ABOUT.

>>AND YOU CAN FIND LINKS TO COMMISSIONER BONILLA'S RENT STABILIZATION PLAN, AS WELL AS THE LEGAL ANALYSIS FROM THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ON OUR WEBSITE.

THAT'S WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

AND WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT HOUSING NEXT WEEK WHEN WE ADDRESS ISSUES FACING THE REAL ESTATE MARKET IN FLORIDA, INCLUDING A POTENTIAL SPECIAL SESSION ON FLORIDA'S PROPERTY INSURANCE CRISIS, INTEREST RATES, AND HOW IT ALL TIES INTO THE PROBLEM OF HIGH RENTS.

>>WELL, NEXT TONIGHT, THE ONGOING CONTROVERSY OVER FLORIDA'S PARENTAL RIGHTS IN EDUCATION LAW, WHAT CRITICS CALL THE DON'T SAY GAY LEGISLATION.

LGBTQ GROUPS LAST WEEK SUED TO BLOCK HB 1557 AS NEWSNIGHT'S KRYSTEL KNOWLES REPORTS.

>>ONE OF THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL PIECES OF LEGISLATION FROM THE 2022 SESSION CONTINUES TO MAKE WAVES.

IN A SUIT FILED IN FEDERAL COURT IN TALLAHASSEE, LGBTQ GROUPS SAY THE LAW IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL, CLAIMING IT VIOLATES BOTH FREE SPEECH UNDER THE FIRST AMENDMENT AND THE EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE OF THE 14TH AMENDMENT.

THE SUIT SAYS, "HB 1557 IS AN UNLAWFUL ATTEMPT TO STIGMATIZE, SILENCE, AND ERASE LGBTQ PEOPLE IN FLORIDA'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS."

>>HI, EVERYONE.

>>THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION SAYS THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS ASSESSING WHETHER THERE ARE LEGAL PROBLEMS WITH THE FLORIDA LAW.

>>WHAT WE THINK IT'S A REFLECTION OF IS POLITICIANS IN FLORIDA PROPAGATING MISINFORMED, HATEFUL POLICIES THAT DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO ADDRESS THE REAL ISSUES.

THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS WELL POSITIONED AND READY TO EVALUATE WHAT TO DO NEXT AND WHETHER IT'S IMPLEMENTATION VIOLATES FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHT LAW.

>>AND NEW YORK CITY'S DEMOCRATIC MAYOR ON MONDAY ROLLED OUT A BILLBOARD AD CAMPAIGN IN SEVERAL FLORIDA CITIES, INCLUDING ORLANDO, DENOUNCING HB 1557.

>>ATTEMPTING TO DEMONIZE A PARTICULAR GROUP OR COMMUNITY IS UNACCEPTABLE.

AND WE ARE GOING TO LOUDLY SHOW OUR SUPPORT AND SAY TO THOSE WHO ARE LIVING IN FLORIDA, "LISTEN, WE WANT YOU HERE IN NEW YORK"."

>>BUT FLORIDA REPUBLICANS ARE STANDING FIRM, GOVERNOR DESANTIS ATTACKING THE NEW YORK CITY GOVERNMENT ON TUESDAY.

>>NEW YORK IS DOING BILLBOARDS TELLING PEOPLE COME TO NEW YORK FROM FLORIDA.

THEY'RE WASTING TAXPAYER MONEY ON DOING THAT.

I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY WOULD DO IT.

THEY'RE SAYING YOU CAN SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT, BUT THEY'RE THE ONES THAT WILL FORCE A MASK ON YOUR FACE AND MUZZLE YOU IN PUBLIC, WHICH THEY DID FOR OVER A YEAR AND A HALF, WHICH THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO DO.

>>MEANWHILE, SOME FLORIDA REPUBLICANS ARE PLANNING MORE LGBTQ RELATED LEGISLATION.

THIS WEEK.

BREVARD STATE REPRESENTATIVE RANDY FINE WROTE ON TWITTER, "I'VE HAD ENOUGH.

NEXT SESSION I WILL SHEPHERD LEGISLATION TO MAKE IT ILLEGAL TO PROVIDE DRUGS OR SURGERY TO A MINOR FOR GENDER ASSIGNMENT.

WE'LL MAKE IT FELONY CHILD ABUSE, PUNISHABLE BY PRISON, LOSS OF MEDICAL LICENSE.

THIS LEGISLATION WOULD NOT AFFECT MENTAL COUNSELING."

>>AND WE SHOULD NOTE THAT THE NEW YORK CITY'S MAYOR SAYS THE ADVERTISING AND BILLBOARD SPACE HAS BEEN DONATED AND THE CAMPAIGN IS NOT COSTING TAXPAYERS AS STATED BY GOVERNOR DESANTIS.

WELL, ALEXA, LET'S PICK UP ON THAT PROPOSAL FROM REPRESENTATIVE FINE.

WHAT ARE THE PARAMETERS HE'S SETTING OUT HERE AND WHY DOES HE THINK IT'S NEEDED?

>>SO HE THINKS THIS IS NEEDED BECAUSE HE SAYS HE BELIEVES A VERY LARGE PERCENT OF PEOPLE WHO TRANSITION END UP CHANGING THEIR MINDS.

THOSE ARE HIS CLAIMS.

THAT IS WHAT HE IS STANDING ON WHEN IT COMES TO THIS PROPOSED LEGISLATION.

THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL BILL YET.

THAT BILL FILING SESSION IS OVER.

THIS ISN'T ON THE TABLE JUST YET, BUT HE IS VOWING TO PUT IT ON THE TABLE.

>>SO AGAIN, HE WANTS TO MAKE IT ILLEGAL, PUNISHABLE BY JAIL TIME, BECAUSE HE WANTS IT TO BE FELONY CHILD ABUSE FOR PARENTS AND DOCTORS TO PROVIDE GENDER ASSIGNMENT TREATMENT FOR TRANSGENDER CHILDREN.

HE SAYS THAT ANYONE WHO OPPOSES THIS IS PART OF A "RADICAL GROOMING MINORITY THAT TRIED TO SEXUALIZE CHILDREN."

AND IT IS THAT CONTINUOUS ECHO THAT WE SAW FROM THE PARENTAL RIGHTS IN EDUCATION BILL THAT CRITICS HAVE DUBBED THE DON'T SAY GAY LAW.

SO THIS IS RECEIVING A LOT OF PUSHBACK.

IT'S ALSO RECEIVING A LOT OF PRAISE FROM PEOPLE WHO AGREE WITH HIM.

LIKE I SAID, THERE'S ALWAYS THESE TWO SIDES OF THE AISLE.

PEOPLE ARE SAYING THESE GENDER AFFIRMATION SURGERIES DO NOT HAPPEN FOR PEOPLE UNDER THE AGE OF 18.

THAT'S THE PUSHBACK AND THE CONTROVERSY THAT THIS IS NOT NEEDED.

THAT'S WHAT THE OPPONENTS CONTINUE TO SAY.

>>YEAH, A VERY POLARIZING ISSUE.

WELL, PETER, THE ISSUE COMES OFF THE BACK OF THE DEBATE OVER WOMEN'S SPORTS THAT THE GOVERNOR WEIGHED INTO AGAIN RECENTLY.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

>>YEAH.

HE DECLARED A FLORIDA COLLEGE STUDENT THE WINNER OF AN NCAA SWIMMING COMPETITION THAT WAS OFFICIALLY WON BY A TRANSGENDER ATHLETE.

OF COURSE, THAT'S KIND OF LIKE, FORGIVE ME, UCF DECLARING ITSELF THE NATIONAL CHAMPION A FEW YEARS AGO.

THE NCAA DETERMINES THAT, NOT THE COLLEGE, NOT GOVERNOR DESANTIS.

SO HE WEIGHED IN ON THAT AND WE SHOULD MENTION THAT THERE ARE NOW TRANSGENDER BANS IN AT LEAST 11 STATES FOR SCHOOL SPORTS.

SOMETHING REALLY INTERESTING HAPPENED IN OUR NEIGHBOR, GEORGIA, THIS WEEK.

STATE LAWMAKERS UP THERE DECIDED, WE DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH THIS.

WE'RE GOING TO BUMP IT BACK DOWN TO THE BODY THAT GOVERNS SCHOLASTIC SPORTS AND LET THEM DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT TRANSGENDER ATHLETES SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO CONTRIBUTE TO COMPETE IN HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS."

>>WOW.

>>VERY INTERESTING.

>>OKAY.

I WONDER IF THAT'LL HAPPEN IN FLORIDA, IF THEY'LL JUST SEND IT BACK TO THE SPORTS BODIES HERE.

>>WELL, IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF THERE IS A COURT RULING ON ANY OF THIS.

AND OF COURSE, THERE ARE GOING TO BE COURT CHALLENGES ON ALL OF THIS STUFF, I THINK.

>>WELL, NATIONALLY THERE ARE OTHER LEGISLATIVE STEPS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN WITH REGARDS TO TRANS PEOPLE.

ALEXA, WHAT ARE OTHER STATES CONSIDERING?

>>SO WHETHER YOU ARE FOR LEGISLATION OR AGAINST LEGISLATION EVERYONE CAN AGREE THAT WE ARE SEEING A RISE IN THESE TYPES OF BILLS AND WHAT IS COMING ON THE TABLE.

THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

YOU LOOK AT THE DATA, THE NUMBERS ARE RISING.

AND A LOT OF THESE LGBTQ PLUS LEGISLATION, ABOUT HALF OF THEM ARE TARGETED TOWARD TRANSGENDER ISSUES.

THAT IS WHAT IS SHOWING IN THE DATA.

A LOT OF THE LEGISLATION COMING TO THE FOREFRONT CONTINUES TO BE ON THE SPORTS RELATED TOPIC.

WE HAVE STATES LIKE LOUISIANA, KENTUCKY, ARKANSAS, MISSOURI, AMONG MANY OTHERS, ARE LOOKING TO BAN TRANSGENDER STUDENT ATHLETES FROM COMPETING IN WOMEN'S SPORTS.

THAT'S THE MOST COMMON ONE THAT WE'RE SEEING ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WE ALSO HAVE OTHER STATES LIKE FLORIDA LOOKING AT THIS SIMILAR BILL FOR LEGISLATION TO A BAN GENDER REASSIGNMENT SURGERY, GENDER AFFIRMATION SURGERY, FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18.

WE'RE ALSO NOW SEEING LEGISLATION AND BILLS BEING PROPOSED WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT'S ON YOUR BIRTH CERTIFICATE.

WE HAVE OKLAHOMA WANTING TO STICK WITH MALE AND FEMALE ON THAT BIRTH CERTIFICATE AND NOT ALLOWING THE DOOR TO OPEN FOR PEOPLE TO DESIGNATE NON-BINARY ON A BIRTH CERTIFICATE.

>>PETER, LET'S BRING IT BACK TO HB 1557.

YOU COVER FLORIDA AND NATIONAL NEWS.

THIS FLORIDA LAW REALLY SEEMS TO HAVE GRABBED THE ATTENTION OF MANY OUTSIDE FLORIDA, AS WE SEEN IN NEW YORK THIS WEEK.

>>WELL, WE SAW MAYOR ADAMS FROM NEW YORK CITY TALKING ABOUT THE BILLBOARDS AND SUCH AND THEY HAVE GONE UP HERE IN FLORIDA IN ORLANDO AND TAMPA, JACKSONVILLE, WEST PALM BEACH, FORT LAUDERDALE.

I THOUGHT THE MESSAGES WERE KIND OF INTERESTING.

"PEOPLE SAY A LOT OF RIDICULOUS THINGS IN NEW YORK, DON'T SAY GAY ISN'T ONE OF THEM."

AND THE OTHER ONE I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING WAS, "COME TO THE CITY WHERE YOU COULD SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT."

THAT IS SO NEW YORK.

I CAN SAY THAT AS AN EXPATRIATE NEW YORKER.

NOW THERE ARE OTHER STATES THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS.

MARYLAND'S GOVERNOR LARRY HOGAN, WHO LIKE RON DESANTIS IS A REPUBLICAN, WAS ON CNN THIS PAST WEEK AND HE SAID, "YOU KNOW WHAT?

THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED IN MARYLAND."

AND IN OHIO REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS PLAN TO INTRODUCE A BILL THAT IS VERY SIMILAR TO FLORIDA'S, BUT UNLIKE THIS STATE, IT ALSO INCLUDES EDUCATIONAL COMPONENTS ABOUT CRITICAL RACE THEORY AND OTHER THINGS.

BUT THIS AGAIN IS CLEARLY A TREND IN A NUMBER OF STATES.

>>I THOUGHT THE GOVERNOR'S COMMENTS WERE INTERESTING.

HE WAS CRITICIZING NEW YORK AND SAYING, "LOOK, YOU SHOULDN'T BE SAYING THAT, SHOULDN'T BE USING TAXPAYER MONEY, " WHICH AS WE'VE POINTED OUT, HE WASN'T, BUT IT'S NOT LIKE FLORIDA HASN'T SEIZED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, "COME TO FLORIDA, " WHEN THEY DON'T LIKE THINGS THAT OTHER STATES ARE DOING.

>>OH, THERE'S BEEN A BIT OF A WAR BETWEEN FLORIDA AND NEW YORK AND FLORIDA AND CALIFORNIA.

YOU MAY REMEMBER, I THINK IT WAS A YEAR OR TWO AGO WHERE, I WISH I COULD REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS IN CALIFORNIA, BUT IT WAS AROUND THE TIME THAT DISNEY WAS BRINGING MORE JOBS HERE.

AND THE WHOLE IDEA WAS, "HEY, CALIFORNIA, COME TO FLORIDA.

WE DON'T HAVE STATE INCOME TAX.

WE HAVE THIS, WE HAVE THAT."

SO, IT'S A COMPETITION FOR A LOT OF THINGS.

IT'S NOT JUST POLITICS, IT'S JOBS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT GOES WITH IT.

>>WELL, LGBTQ GROUPS HAVE BEEN ALSO HIGHLY CRITICAL OF FLORIDA'S NEW CURRICULUM TRANSPARENCY LAW.

ALEXA, GIVE US A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ON THAT.

>>SO THAT LAW REQUIRES ALL INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, ALL INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS INCLUDING THOSE BOOKS THAT KIDS CAN JUST PULL OFF THE SCHOOL LIBRARY, TO BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW BEFORE A SCHOOL DISTRICT ACTUALLY DECIDES TO PUT THEM ON THE SHELF.

SO THAT GIVES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PARENTS, FAMILY MEMBERS, LOVED ONES, TO OBJECT TO ANY MATERIAL BEFORE IT HITS THOSE SHELVES.

AND THE LAW SPECIFIES THAT THESE MATERIALS MUST BE ACCESSIBLE FOR AT LEAST 20 DAYS BEFORE THE DISTRICT TAKES ANY ACTION HERE.

SO WE'RE ALREADY SEEING SUPPORT, AND AGAIN, PUSHBACK.

THIS IS HOW THESE THINGS WORK.

WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF PUSHBACK FROM SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS EQUALITY FLORIDA, PEOPLE SAYING THAT THIS IS A WAY TO OPEN THE DOOR TO CONTINUOUS BOOK BANNING AND THAT THESE BOOKS ARE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS FOR STUDENTS TO LEARN ABOUT THEMSELVES, LEARN ABOUT THE WORLD, AND THEY DON'T LIKE THE PATH FORWARD.

ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU HAVE PARENTS SAYING, "THIS IS NOT WHAT I WANT MY CHILD TO BE EXPOSED TO.

AND THIS LAW IS NEEDED."

>>AND YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO THE LAWSUIT FILED BY LGBTQ GROUPS AGAINST HB 1557 ON OUR WEBSITE.

AND BE SURE TO JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK.

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

>>NEXT TONIGHT, ANOTHER HISTORIC FIRST FOR THE SPACE COAST.

WE SHOULD REMIND YOU THAT WE'RE TAPING THE SHOW ON THURSDAY, AND AS OF THIS RECORDING, THE LAUNCH WE'RE ABOUT TO DISCUSS IS SLATED FOR FRIDAY.

WELL, HERE'S NEWSNIGHT'S STEVE MORT.

>>THIS LAUNCH WILL BE AMERICA'S FIRST EVER ALL PRIVATE MISSION TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.

AXIOM SPACE SENDING FOUR ASTRONAUTS TO THE ISS, JOINING SEVEN ON THE STATION, NOW INCLUDING THREE AMERICANS, THREE RUSSIANS, AND A GERMAN ASTRONAUT.

IT'S NOT THE FIRST ENTIRELY PRIVATELY FUNDED MISSION AND THE CREW MEMBERS ARE NOT THE FIRST PRIVATE CITIZENS TO FLY TO THE SPACE STATION, BUT IT IS THE FIRST TIME A COMMERCIALLY FUNDED MISSION CARRYING PRIVATE CITIZENS WILL FLY TO THE ISS AS PART OF AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN NASA AND PRIVATE COMPANIES TO DEVELOP A SPACE ECONOMY.

AXIOM'S HOPING TO CONSTRUCT ITS OWN SPACE STATION THAT COULD IN THE FUTURE HOST SPACE TOURISTS AND RESEARCHERS.

THE AXIOM MISSION LAUNCHING ONBOARD THE SPACEX CREW DRAGON ENDEAVOUR FROM THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER'S PAD 39A WILL LAST ABOUT 10 DAYS.

SPACEX WILL LAUNCH ITS OWN CREW FOR MISSION LATER THIS MONTH.

>>WELL, PETER YOU'VE COVERED SPACE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE AXIOM MISSION?

>>OH, THIS IS HUGE.

THIS IS ABSOLUTELY HUGE, AND FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.

FIRST OF ALL, WHEN THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION WAS FIRST PROPOSED, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT EVERYBODY WAS TALKING ABOUT WAS HOW MUCH SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH WAS GOING TO GO ON AND HOW IT WOULD ATTRACT COMMERCIAL COMPANIES TO PAY AND GO DO RESEARCH ON THE SPACE STATION.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE.

THIS IS NOT A JOY RIDE FOR THE AXIOM ONE CREW.

THE COMMANDER IS A FORMER NASA ASTRONAUT.

SO HE'S BASICALLY RUNNING THE SHOW UP AND DOWN.

BUT WHEN THEY GET TO THE STATION, THE THREE MEN WHO ARE PAYING TO BE UP THERE, AND PAYING MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO BE THERE, PLAN ON DOING SOME RESEARCH UP THERE, SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, AND A FAIR AMOUNT OF EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH.

AND THIS IS THE FIRST, AS STEVE MENTIONED IN THE PACKAGE, FIRST COMPLETELY PRIVATELY FUNDED TRIP TO THE SPACE STATION.

IT WON'T BE THE LAST.

WE SHOULD ALSO MENTION THAT RUSSIA HAS SENT PRIVATE ASTRONAUTS UP ON THEIR SOYUZ FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES, MOST RECENTLY, A FILM CREW THAT WENT UP LAST YEAR.

>>AND AS WE MENTIONED IN THE STORY, AXIOM SPACE WANTS TO BUILD ITS OWN SPACE STATION.

WHAT'S THE POINT OF THAT?

>>WELL, THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION IS LIKELY TO BE DECOMMISSIONED IN 2030, AND AXIOM WANTS TO BUILD ON A COUPLE OF MODULES TO THE SPACE STATION AS SORT OF A TEST RUN AND TO KEEP FOSTERING THE RELATIONSHIP WITH NASA, BECAUSE NASA WOULD LIKELY BE INVOLVED IN ONE WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM.

BUT AXIOM IS JUST ONE OF SEVERAL COMPANIES THAT WANTS TO BUILD THEIR OWN SPACE STATIONS IN ORBIT AND YOU'VE GOT TO START SOMEWHERE.

THEY EXPECT THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A MONEY MAKER AND THAT MANY MORE PEOPLE, BESIDES THE THREE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LAUNCHING THIS WEEK, MANY MORE PEOPLE WANT TO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY TO GO UP THERE.

SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF US COMMERCIAL COMPANIES.

CHINA HAS ITS OWN SPACE STATION ALREADY, WHICH IS SMALL, BUT IT'S A START.

AND RUSSIA WILL PROBABLY GET INTO THE GAME IF THEY'VE GOT THE MONEY TOO.

>>AND SPEAKING OF RUSSIA, I MEAN, IS THIS COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISE TIMELY, GIVEN THE DOUBTFUL GEOPOLITICAL SITUATION AND QUESTIONS OVER RUSSIA AND THE UNITED STATES AND THE SPACE PROGRAM GOING FORWARD?

>>WELL, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF DYNAMICS HERE.

THE CONTRACTS ON THIS HAVE BEEN SIGNED FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.

SO THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN AND IT REALLY HAS VERY LITTLE TO DO WITH WHAT'S GOING ON WITH RUSSIA, UKRAINE, THE US, AND ALL THAT.

THE OTHER THING IS THAT THE SPACE STATION ITSELF HAS PRETTY WELL BEEN INSULATED FROM POLITICS UP THERE.

LAST WEEK, WHEN THE LAST STATION CREW RETURNED ALONG WITH AN AMERICAN, NOT A RUSSIAN SOYUZ, THE OUTGOING SPACE STATION COMMANDER BASICALLY SAID IT ALL, "WE ARE ONE."

THESE PEOPLE DEPEND ON EACH OTHER FOR THEIR LIVES AND TO KEEP THINGS GOING AND BOTH NEED EACH OTHER.

IN SPACE THERE ARE NO WALLS BETWEEN THE RUSSIAN AND US SEGMENT AND EVERYBODY GOES FREELY AND EVERYBODY TENDS TO GET ALONG JUST FINE FROM EVERYTHING WE'VE BEEN TOLD.

SO YOU'VE GOT THIS FLIGHT AND YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER STATION CREW GOING UP IN ANOTHER SPACEX FLIGHT IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND IT'S BUSINESS AS USUAL.

ALTHOUGH THE HEAD OF THE RUSSIAN SPACE AGENCY HAS BEEN TWEETING LIKE MAD AND MAKING ALL KINDS OF THREATS.

I THINK THE SMART PEOPLE IN THE ROOM BELIEVE THAT'S JUST A LOT OF BLUSTER AND IT'S JUST FOR SHOW.

>>WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT ARTEMIS BEFORE WE GO.

WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF TEST SCRUBS FOR THE SLS.

WHAT EXACTLY IS GOING ON?

>>OKAY.

SLS IS THE SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM THAT'S NOW OUT ON THE PAD IN KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, THE HUGE MOON ROCKET THAT THEY TRIED A COUPLE OF TIMES TO FUEL UP THIS PAST WEEK AND COULDN'T DO IT BECAUSE THEY HAD VARIOUS TECHNICAL PROBLEMS INVOLVING EQUIPMENT ON THE MOBILE LAUNCH PLATFORM, THE VENTING, VALVES, CONTRACTOR EQUIPMENT, OTHER TEMPERATURE PROBLEMS.

AND QUITE FRANKLY, WHEN YOU'RE FILLING TWO ROCKET STAGES WITH 700,000 GALLONS OF SUPER COLD FUEL, YOU DON'T MESS AROUND.

IF YOU SEE SOMETHING GOING ON, YOU STOP, YOU STAND BACK, AND YOU TRY AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.

THIS IS PAR FOR THE COURSE.

THAT'S WHY THEY CALL IT A TEST.

AND TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF PERSPECTIVE, OUR BILL HARDWOOD WENT BACK AND DID THE HOMEWORK AND HE FOUND THAT WHEN THEY WERE TESTING OUT THE FIRST SATURN V MOON ROCKETS BACK IN 1967 BEFORE ITS FLIGHT, AND THEY DID THIS TEST, IT TOOK THEM 17 DAYS TO COMPLETE IT.

SO THIS STUFF TAKES TIME, AND IT'S A REMINDER THAT SPACE IS HARD.

>>AND THESE ARE MIGHTY COMPLEX MACHINES OUT THERE.

THEY'RE MASSIVELY COMPLICATED.

YOU GOT TO GET EVERYTHING ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

LET'S JUST FINALLY, PETER, ARE WE STILL LIKELY TO SEE A JUNE LAUNCH ATTEMPT AND WHAT WILL THAT MISSION ENTAIL?

>>WELL, IF I COULD TELL YOU THAT, I COULD ALSO TELL YOU WHEN UCF'S GOING TO WIN A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FOR REAL.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THIS PROGRAM IS YEARS BEHIND SCHEDULE SO A FEW WEEKS OR A FEW MONTHS ISN'T GOING TO MAKE THAT BIG A DIFFERENCE EXCEPT FOR THE 2025 GOAL OF LANDING THE NEXT HUMANS ON THE MOON.

THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO DO IT SAFELY, NOT DO IT QUICKLY.

WHEN THIS PARTICULAR MOON ROCKET FLIES IT'LL TAKE THE ARTEMIS ORION SPACECRAFT, THAT'S THIS VERSION OF APOLLO'S COMMAND MODULE IF YOU WILL, INTO LUNAR ORBIT, WHICH IT WILL STAY IN LUNAR ORBIT FOR ABOUT SIX DAYS, A LOW POINT OF 62 MILES, A HIGH POINT OF ABOUT 40,000 MILES.

IT'LL BE THE DEEPEST ANY HUMAN SPACECRAFT HAS EVER GONE INTO DEEP SPACE, BECAUSE IT'S A SHAKEDOWN CRUISE TO SEE HOW LIFE SUPPORT, ELECTRONICS, PROPULSION, NAVIGATION, EVERYTHING ELSE WORKS.

THIS IS AN UN-CREWED LAUNCH.

IT WILL COME BACK AFTER THREE WEEKS, BLAST INTO THE ATMOSPHERE AT SOME 25,000 MILES AN HOUR.

IT'S NOT EXACTLY WARP SPEED, BUT IT'S THE FASTEST ANY HUMAN SPACECRAFT HAS TRAVELED.

>>WOW.

WELL, FOR MORE NEWSNIGHT INTERVIEWS AND INFORMATION ON THE STORIES FROM TONIGHT'S PROGRAM, HEAD OVER TO OUR WEBSITE.

IT'S ALL AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

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

MY THANKS TO ALEXA LORENZO FROM WFTV CHANNEL NINE AND PETER KING FROM CBS NEWS RADIO.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:30 HERE ON WUCF FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT.

TAKE CARE.