>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, THE STATE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN FLORIDA AS CASES PLUNGE, BUT CONCERNS REMAIN ABOUT VARIANT SPREAD AMONG UNVACCINATED PEOPLE.

GOVERNOR DESANTIS SIGNS INTO LAW, A BAN ON TRANSGENDER WOMEN AND GIRLS COMPETING IN SCHOOL AND COLLEGE SPORTS, AND HURRICANE SEASON BEGINS IN FLORIDA AMID A BIPARTISAN PUSH FOR COASTAL RESILIENCY.

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO, I'M NANCY ALVAREZ.

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

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

SO JOINING US THIS WEEK, RETURNING TO US FROM UNIVISION NEWS, HAZEL ORTIZ, AND WILKINE BRUTUS FROM WLRN.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.

MY COLLEAGUE, STEVE MORT IN THE STUDIO WITH ME ONCE AGAIN, AND STEVE, WE'LL START WITH YOU.

>>THANK YOU, NANCY.

IT'S BEEN AN IMPORTANT WEEK FOR EDUCATION ISSUES HERE IN FLORIDA.

LET'S START WITH THE SIGNING OF A LAW ON TUESDAY THAT BANS TRANSGENDER WOMEN AND GIRLS FROM COMPETING IN WOMEN'S AND GIRLS' SPORTS AT THE SCHOOL AND COLLEGE LEVEL.

THE GOVERNOR CHOSE THE FIRST DAY OF PRIDE MONTH TO SIGN THE BILL, WHICH TAKES EFFECT IN JULY.

THE NEW LAW SAYS SCHOOL OR COLLEGE ATHLETES MUST HAVE A BIRTH CERTIFICATE LISTING THEM AS FEMALE AT BIRTH TO BE ALLOWED TO PLAY ON GIRLS OR WOMEN'S SPORTS TEAMS.

BUT STUDENTS ASSIGNED MALE AT BIRTH WILL BE BARRED FROM DOING SO.

THE GOVERNOR FOLLOWED UP THE BILL SIGNING WITH A SERIES OF TWEETS IN WHICH HE WROTE, "THE FAIRNESS IN WOMEN'S SPORTS ACT ENSURES WOMEN AND GIRLS AREN'T DISCRIMINATED AGAINST IN ATHLETIC COMPETITION.

THESE FEMALE ATHLETES DESERVE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD AND ARE ENTITLED TO PURSUE THEIR DREAMS IN CONTESTS THAT HAVE INTEGRITY."

BUT OPPONENTS OF THE LEGISLATION SAY IT'S PURELY POLITICAL.

>>THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS ESSENTIALLY IDENTIFIED THE MOST VULNERABLE IN SOCIETY AS THEIR POLITICAL FOOTBALL TO TOSS AROUND, TO TRY AND GENERATE INTEREST IN FUTURE ELECTIONS.

>>IN A PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION ON TUESDAY, MARKING THE START OF PRIDE MONTH.

PRESIDENT BIDEN ATTACKED MOVES IN STATES, SUCH AS FLORIDA, WHICH HE SAID HAD QUOTE CHOSEN TO ACTIVELY TARGET TRANSGENDER YOUTH THROUGH DISCRIMINATORY BILLS THAT DEFY OUR NATION'S VALUES OF INCLUSIVITY AND FREEDOM FOR ALL.

THE GOVERNOR AND SUPPORTERS OF THE BILL HAVE POINTED TO OUT OF STATE EXAMPLES OF TRANSGENDER WOMEN AND GIRLS WINNING IN SPORTS COMPETITIONS.

FLORIDA'S NEW LAW FACES LEGAL CHALLENGES AND POTENTIAL PUSHBACK FROM THE NCAA AND OTHER COMPANIES THAT HAVE OPPOSED RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSGENDER ATHLETES.

>>ALL RIGHT, SO HAZEL, LET'S START WITH LEGAL CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE ALREADY SEEING.

LET'S TALK MORE ABOUT WHO IS SET TO CHALLENGE THIS LAW AND ON WHAT GROUNDS.

>>EXACTLY, THANK YOU NANCY.

SO WE'VE BASICALLY SEEN THIS CONTROVERSIAL LAW TAKE PLACE ON TUESDAY ON A VERY SIGNIFICANT DAY FOR THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY.

AND WE ARE ALREADY SEEING REPRESENTATIVES PRONOUNCING THEMSELVES AGAINST IT, LIKE REPRESENTATIVE CARLOS GUILLERMO SMITH PRONOUNCING HIMSELF OBVIOUSLY AGAINST THE LAW.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO ACTIONS, WE'RE SEEING THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN, IT'S AN LGBTQ ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION, PLANNING TO SUE OR TRYING TO STOP THE MEASURE THAT GOVERNOR DESANTIS HAS SIGNED ON TUESDAY.

CALLING IT, AND I QUOTE, "DISCRIMINATORY INTENT AND NOT SUPPORTED BY FACT."

AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THEY WERE, AS REPRESENTATIVES HAVE PRONOUNCED THEMSELVES AGAINST THE MEASURE, INCLUDING U.S. REPRESENTATIVE CHARLIE CHRIST, WHO IS CHALLENGING DESANTIS FOR GOVERNOR NEXT YEAR.

AND I QUOTE, ONCE AGAIN, HE HAS CALLED IT A CRUEL LEGISLATION, CREATING AN ISSUE WHERE ONE DOESN'T EXIST.

>>AND THERE'S SO MUCH GOING ON THAT COULD IMPACT THIS COMMUNITY.

A SUPREME COURT RULING LAST YEAR, BARRED WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION AGAINST LGBTQ EMPLOYEES.

THE JUSTICES ARE SOON EXPECTED TO WEIGH IN ON A CASE REGARDING SAME-SEX ADOPTIONS.

SO WILKINE, COULD WE BE GETTING AN INDICATION SOON ABOUT WHETHER LAWS LIKE FLORIDA'S ON TRANSGENDER ATHLETES WILL BE ALLOWED TO STAND?

>>WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE THE CULTURE WARS DURING PRIDE MONTH CONTINUES, RIGHT?

AND YEAH, THERE MIGHT BE LIKE THE RESPONSE TO A SIMILAR MEASURE IN THE STATE OF IDAHO.

WE COULD SEE SOME LEGAL CHALLENGES, LGBTQ ADVOCATES, AND THE STATE MAY CHALLENGE THE TRANSGENDER ATHLETES BAN AS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

SO I THINK THIS FIGHT WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AND THIS MIGHT BE THE BEGINNING TO SOMETHING PRETTY HUGE.

>>YEAH.

AND ANOTHER LAYER TO THIS, THE NCAA HAS THREATENED TO PULL EVENTS OUT OF FLORIDA.

THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID CORPORATIONS WON'T DICTATE POLICY IN OUR STATE, BUT THERE COULD BE POTENTIAL IMPACTS IF THE NCAA AND OTHERS FOLLOW THROUGH, HAZEL.

>>EXACTLY THE NCAA HAS PRONOUNCED THEMSELVES FOR THIS LEGISLATION THAT JUST PASSED.

AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT THIS COULD MEAN THEM PULLING OUT OF FLORIDA, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A HUGE ECONOMIC IMPACT LIKE LOCALLY.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT TAMPA ITSELF OR ALONE, I SHOULD SAY.

THERE ARE FIVE MAJOR EVENTS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE IMPACTED.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 2022 SEC MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT AND 2023 MEN'S ICE HOCKEY FROZEN TOUR.

AND THAT 2023 WOMEN'S DIVISION VOLLEYBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS.

AND IT GOES ON.

SO THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT THE MERE FACT OF THE NCAA PULLS OUT OF FLORIDA, OR IT'S MERELY THINKING ABOUT IT, WHICH OBVIOUSLY ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT THE LGBT COMMUNITY AND SPECIFICALLY THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN ASKING THEM TO DO CAN MEAN A LOT TO US.

>>YEAH, CERTAINLY THE NCAA PLAYED A LARGE ROLE IN THE COLLEGIATE AND SCHOOL SPORTING ENVIRONMENT HERE IN FLORIDA.

WILKINE THE PRESIDENT ON TUESDAY AND HIS PROCLAMATION POINTED TO A QUOTE, "TRAGIC SPIKE IN VIOLENCE AGAINST TRANSGENDER WOMEN OF COLOR AND BULLYING OF LGBTQ YOUTH IN EDUCATION SETTINGS."

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE EXTENT OF THIS ISSUE?

IT SEEMS TO BE ON THE RADAR NOW, QUITE A LOT IN SORT OF THE GENERAL CONVERSATION IN SOCIETY.

>>WELL, WHAT TWO MONTHS AGO, I SPOKE TO THE COMPASS CENTER IN LAKEWOOD, BEACH, WHICH IS AN LGBTQ COMMUNITY CENTER IN SOUTH FLORIDA.

AND THAT REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT BLACK TRANS WOMEN ARE FACING BIAS AND A DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF BULLYING FROM POLICE OFFICERS TO PRISON SYSTEM, JOB RECRUITERS AND THE EDUCATION SETTINGS.

SO THAT PROCLAMATION PERHAPS HIGHLIGHTED, OR AT LEAST TO SOME EXTENT RAISED AWARENESS TO THE OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OR THE DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF BULLYING THAT BLACK TRANS WOMEN FACE ON A STATEWIDE LEVEL, BUT OBVIOUSLY ON A NATIONAL LEVEL.

>>I MEAN, THIS ISN'T A NEW THING THOUGH, IS IT RIGHT?

I MEAN, THIS IS SOMETHING WHICH SEEMS TO HAVE ENTERED OUR CONSCIOUSNESS NOW, AS WE TALK MORE ABOUT THESE ISSUES, BUT YOU KNOW FROM THE REPORTING THAT YOU'VE DONE OVER THE YEARS, I MEAN, THIS ISN'T SOMETHING WHICH IS NEW TO OUR STATE.

>>YEAH.

IT'S CERTAINLY NOT NEW.

AND IT REALLY INCREASED DURING THE GEORGE FLOYD PROTESTS LAST YEAR, WHERE WE SAW THE SORT OF ARISE IN CONSCIOUSNESS REGARDING POLICE BRUTALITY.

WELL, THAT CONVERSATION EXTENDED TOWARDS THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY.

AND SO ADVOCATES IN THAT COMMUNITY SAY, WELL, HEY, LOOK, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR DECADES NOW.

AND WITH THE RISE OF THE SORT OF NEW SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS REGARDING BLACK TRANS COMMUNITIES AND THE TRANS COMMUNITY, AND JUST IN GENERAL, IN TERMS OF THE DISPARITIES THAT THE TRANS COMMUNITY MAY FACE IN MULTIPLE FRONTS, ECONOMIC, SOCIALLY, IT SEEMS LIKE THE PRESIDENT IS TRYING TO GET A HOLD OF SOME OF THE ADVOCACY THAT'S BEEN GOING ON STATEWIDE AND NATIONALLY.

>>CERTAINLY THERE'S A BIG DISPARITY BETWEEN WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE STATES, IN SOME STATES, AT LEAST AT THE MOMENT AND ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

ANOTHER DEBATE IN EDUCATION IN OUR STATE RIGHT NOW REVOLVES AROUND WHETHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS SHOULD CONTINUE TO REQUIRE MASKS.

EDUCATION COMMISSIONER RICHARD CORCORAN HAS ASKED DISTRICTS TO ELIMINATE THEIR MASK MANDATES.

THE ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MET THIS WEEK TO DEBATE A NEW DRAFT POLICY, WHICH WOULD MAKE FACE COVERINGS OPTIONAL FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.

THE PUBLIC WILL BE ABLE TO WEIGH IN AT A MEETING OF THE BOARD.

LATER THIS MONTH, I SPOKE WITH DANIELLE PRIEUR FROM 90.7 WMFE WHO HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THE ISSUE THAT I STARTED BY ASKING HER WHAT THE DESANTIS ADMINISTRATION WOULD LIKE TO SEE GOING FORWARD.

>>IT'S ALL ABOUT FACE MASKS, RIGHT?

FOR THE GOVERNOR, THAT'S WHAT HE MEANS WHEN HE SAYS NORMAL, BECAUSE COMPARED TO MOST OTHER STATES, FLORIDA, CHILDREN HAVE ALREADY RETURNED TO SCHOOL IN DROVES AND MASSES, REALLY.

SO IT'S ABOUT FACE MASK.

THE GOVERNOR AND THE COMMISSIONER DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM REQUIRED ANYMORE IN SCHOOLS FOR CHILDREN.

AND IN FACT, ORANGE COUNTY IS MEETING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY'RE KIND OF GOING TO HANDLE FACE MASKS MOVING FORWARD.

AND SOME DISTRICTS HAVE ALREADY SAID, WE'RE NOT GOING TO REQUIRE THEM.

>>THE GOVERNOR HAS RECEIVED PRAISE FROM SOME TEACHERS FOR HIS WORK ON TEACHER PAY, BUT HE'S GOTTEN PUSHBACK, HASN'T HE, FROM EDUCATORS THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC FOR HIS COVID 19 RESPONSE.

IS THERE ANY INDICATION HOW THE UNIONS ARE NOW LOOKING AT A FULL RETURN TO CLASS?

>>YEAH, I THINK IT'S INTERESTING NOW THAT A LOT OF TEACHERS ARE VACCINATED AND PRINCIPALS AND SUBSTITUTES ARE VACCINATED, YOU'RE NOT HEARING AS MUCH OF A PUSHBACK ANYMORE, STEVE.

I THINK PEOPLE ARE QUITE HAPPY, ESPECIALLY IN THIS ECONOMY TO BE GETTING THOSE RAISES AND TO BE GETTING THE MINIMUM SALARY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE SEEING STARTING NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.

I DON'T HEAR KIND OF THE VEHEMENT PUSHBACK LIKE I DID AT THE BEGINNING.

AND AGAIN, I THINK THAT WAS BECAUSE VACCINES WERE VERY HARD TO COME BY FOR TEACHERS, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE FRONTLINE WORKERS.

BUT NOW THAT A LOT OF THEM ARE VACCINATED, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY I'M SURE MANY OF THEM WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE MASK MANDATE STAY IN EFFECT.

BUT AS WE SEE YOUNGER AND YOUNGER CHILDREN BEING VACCINATED, 12 AND UP, YOU KNOW, IN SOME CASES THAT I REALLY THINK IT'S LESS OF A CONCERN YOU MIGHT SAY FOR TEACHERS.

>>ALL RIGHT.

A PROGRAM NOTE NOW.

WE WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE WILL BE MARKING THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PULSE TRAGEDY NEXT WEEK ON THE PROGRAM.

STEVE AND I WILL BE LOOKING BACK AT WHAT'S CHANGED OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS AND HOW CENTRAL FLORIDA'S LGBTQ COMMUNITY IS MOVING FORWARD.

THAT'S NEXT WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:30 RIGHT HERE ON WUCF, HARD TO BELIEVE IT'S BEEN FIVE YEARS ALREADY.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT TONIGHT, THE STATE OF THE PANDEMIC IN FLORIDA AS COVID CASES DECLINE, TAKE A LISTEN TO THIS RECENT ASSESSMENT FROM ADVENT HEALTH, CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER STEVEN SMITH.

>>THIS IS A CONTINUAL DECLINE THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, AND THIS IS OUTSTANDING NEWS.

AND I THINK WE CAN ATTRIBUTE THAT TO A COUPLE OF THINGS.

ONE IS THE VACCINATIONS ARE GETTING OUT IN ARMS AND THAT'S PROTECTING US ALL FROM COVID-19.

I THINK ALSO WE'RE SEEING THE SUMMER TIME, PEOPLE ARE OUT AND SPREAD OUT A LITTLE BIT.

>>SO THAT'S GOOD NEWS, BUT THE WASHINGTON POST DID SOME DATA REPORTING RECENTLY ON HOW THE PANDEMIC LOOKS AMONG UNVACCINATED PEOPLE.

SO WILKINE, HOW DOES FLORIDA SHAPE UP WHEN IT COMES TO POSITIVITY, HOSPITALIZATIONS AND DEATHS?

>>WELL, OBVIOUSLY THE PANDEMIC IS STILL HERE, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE THIS AURA OF REOPENING, ESPECIALLY WITH THE VARIANTS INVOLVED, BUT POSITIVITY, HOSPITALIZATIONS, AND DEATHS ARE DOWN STATEWIDE.

POSITIVITY RATE, ACCORDING TO THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ON WEDNESDAY, THE STATE'S PERCENT POSITIVITY IS DOWN TO 3.3%.

THAT'S WELL, UNDER THE 5% THAT HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY THAT WE NEED TO HAVE IN ORDER TO CONTAIN THE VIRUS.

HOSPITALIZATIONS, AS OF TUESDAY, THERE WERE NEARLY 1900 HOSPITALIZED STATEWIDE.

THAT'S THE LOWEST SINCE JULY.

DEATHS, THERE WERE NEARLY A HUNDRED COVID RELATED DEATHS OVER THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND.

MY CONDOLENCES TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

DEATHS ARE ALSO DOWN AND VACCINATIONS MORE THAN 8.3 MILLION ARE FULLY VACCINATED, BUT WE STILL LAG BEHIND VACCINATIONS, BUT WE ARE STILL SEEING PROGRESS THERE AS WELL.

>>YEAH.

SO HAZEL, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE CRUISE LINES IN THE PANDEMIC BECAUSE WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT REALLY OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.

WHEN WE DO THAT THIS WEEK, DISNEY BECAME THE LATEST COMPANY TO GET CDC PERMISSION, TO RUN SIMULATED CRUISES FROM FLORIDA THIS SUMMER, WHAT ARE DISNEY AND OTHER COMPANIES SAYING ABOUT HOW THOSE PRACTICE CRUISES WILL WORK?

>>EXACTLY, NANCY.

DISNEY JUST JOINED ROYAL CARIBBEAN.

AND IN THIS GROUP OF CRUISES THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED TO START THESE TESTS SAILINGS APPROVED BY THE CDC.

SO BASICALLY THEY HAVE CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS ESTABLISHED BY THE CDC.

ONE OF THEM BEING THE FACT THAT AT LEAST 98% OF THEIR CREW NEEDS TO BE VACCINATED AND 95% OF THEIR PASSENGERS NEED TO BE VACCINATED IN ORDER TO START SAILING.

NOW IN THIS PROCESS OF TESTING.

INTERESTING, BECAUSE THE FIRST ONE, DISNEY'S FIRST CRUISE IS THAT'S GOING TO GO OUT, IS GOING TO BE THE DISNEY DREAM, FROM JULY 29TH TO JULY 29TH, I'M SORRY, JUNE 29TH TO JULY 1ST.

SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

BASICALLY THEY HAVE THESE AMOUNT OF DAYS TO TEST THEIR PROTOCOLS THAT THEY ARE CURRENTLY TAKING CARE OF OR THAT THEY CURRENTLY HAVE IN PLACE AND THEIR CREWS TO ASSURE EVERYBODY'S SECURITY DURING THIS PANDEMIC.

INTERESTING TOO, BECAUSE THEY WILL START SAILING FROM PORT CANAVERAL.

SO BASICALLY CDC HAS HAD A LOT OF RESTRICTIONS IN ORDER TO DO THIS WHOLE PROCESS SAFELY.

>>YEAH.

THIS IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE, OF COURSE.

AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS ON THE PROGRAM AS WELL, THAT THE CRUISE LINE INDUSTRY REALLY DOES PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN BOTH THE ECONOMY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA AND SOUTH FLORIDA AS WELL.

WILKINE, THE STATE IS STILL AT ODDS AS HAZEL TALKED ABOUT THERE WITH THE CDC AND THE CRUISE LINES OVER VACCINE PASSPORTS.

THE DESANTIS ADMINISTRATION HAS DENIED A REPORT IN FORBES THIS WEEK THAT IT'S WORKING TO CREATE A CRUISE LINE LOOPHOLE TO FLORIDA'S VACCINE PASSPORT BAN AND PREDICTS THE COURTS WILL SIDE WITH FLORIDA.

DO WE KNOW THOUGH HOW THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY AND THE PUBLIC COME DOWN ON THIS ISSUE?

HAS THERE BEEN ANY POLLING ON THAT?

>>OH, ABSOLUTELY.

THERE'S CERTAINLY SOME POLLS AND ALL THAT.

THE CRUISE INDUSTRY, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, CAN'T WAIT TO GET BACK TO BUSINESS, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE CDC GAVE THEM THE GREEN LIGHT.

IF THEY WERE TO VACCINATE 98% OF THEIR CREW MEMBERS AND 95% OF THEIR PASSENGERS.

AND IF YOU RECALL, CRUISE SHIPS WERE A HUGE SUPER SPREADER DURING THE EARLY STAGES OF THE PANDEMIC.

SO THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE HERE, INDUSTRY EXECUTIVES DURING AN EARNINGS CALL SUGGESTED THAT THEY MAY THINK ABOUT OTHER OPTIONS TO OPERATE THEIR BUSINESS OUTSIDE OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA IF THINGS DON'T REALLY PAN OUT, SO THAT'S ANOTHER THING TO CONSIDER.

BUT IN TERMS OF THE POLLING, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, A CRUISE CRITIC IS A REVIEW SITE AND IT RELEASED A POLL IN FEBRUARY THAT 81% OF ITS 3000 RESPONDENTS SAID THAT THEY WOULDN'T MIND A VACCINATION REQUIREMENT.

AND ONLY 5% SAID THAT THEY WOULD BE DETERRED TO TRAVEL.

IF SUCH A VACCINATION REQUIREMENT WERE TO EXIST.

EITHER WAY, GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS IS PRETTY ADAMANT ABOUT FINING THESE CRUISE LINES, IF THEY'RE NOT ALLOWING UNVACCINATED PASSENGERS ON THEIR SHIPS.

>>YEAH.

AND OF COURSE NOT JUST THE CRUISE LINES, THAT'S BUSINESSES WRIT LARGE, THAT WOULD FACE THOSE KINDS OF FINES.

AND DON'T FORGET TO JOIN THIS DISCUSSION ON SOCIAL MEDIA WE'RE AT WUCF TV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND ALSO ON INSTAGRAM.

WELL, GOVERNOR DESANTIS SIGNED THE STATE'S BUDGET ON WEDNESDAY IN NEW SMYRNA BEACH, INCLUDING TEACHER PAY RAISES AND BONUSES FOR FRONTLINE WORKERS IN THE PANDEMIC.

625 MILLION DOLLARS THOUGH WILL GO TO ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES, 150 MILLION FOR BEACH RE NOURISHMENT PROJECTS AS HURRICANE SEASON GETS UNDERWAY IN THE ATLANTIC.

IT'S PREDICTED TO BE A BUSY PERIOD IN THE TROPICS AND IT COMES AFTER LEGISLATORS PASSED THE RESILIENT FLORIDA PROGRAM, AIMED AT BOLSTERING THE DEFENSES OF COASTAL COMMUNITIES AROUND THE STATE.

WELL, I SAT DOWN WITH THOMAS WAHL, HE'S AN EXPERT IN SEA LEVEL RISE AND COASTAL RESILIENCY AT UCF.

AND I STARTED BY ASKING HIM HOW SEA LEVEL RISE IS ALREADY AFFECTING US HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

>>IT'S DIFFERENT THAN SOUTH FLORIDA.

SOUTH FLORIDA HAS ITS SPECIFIC ISSUES WITH HIGH TIDE FLOODING ALREADY OCCURRING EVERY YEAR, MULTIPLE TIMES.

A LOT OF PEOPLE LIVING IN LOW LYING AREAS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THOSE HIGH-TECH FLOODING EVENTS.

HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA WE DON'T HAVE THESE EVENTS OCCURRING AS MUCH, AT LEAST AS WE DO IN SOUTH FLORIDA.

BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE ARE PRONE TO BEING AFFECTED BY STORM SURGE, AS HURRICANES EXTREME WAVES OR BEACHES ERODE IF WE HAVE STORM SURGES COMING THROUGH WITH EXTREME WAVES, ATTACKING OUR DUNES AND BEACHES.

SO THERE IS STILL A PRETTY HIGH VULNERABILITY ALL OVER FLORIDA WHEN IT COMES TO COASTAL FLOODING.

ESPECIALLY IF YOU COMPARE THIS IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT, WE HAVE MIAMI, I THINK IT'S RANKED NUMBER THREE IN THE WORLD IN TERMS OF FLOOD RISK ACROSS ALL THE CITIES.

AND FLORIDA IS OFTEN MENTIONED AS THE ONE MOST VULNERABLE STATE HERE IN THE US WHEN IT COMES TO SEA LEVEL RISE AND FLOODING.

>>WE HEAR NOWADAYS IN OUR STATES OFTEN THAT THE PHRASE SUNNY DAY FLOODING, IT'S NOT JUST STORMS THAT ARE CAUSING THESE PROBLEMS, RIGHT?

I MEAN, YOU CAN WALK AROUND PARTS OF MIAMI ON A WARM SUNNY DAY AND YOU'RE WALKING THROUGH WATER.

>>THAT IS THE SIGN OF SEA LEVEL RISE.

SO THAT IS THE EFFECT OF SEA LEVEL RISE.

WHEN I STARTED MY CAREER WORKING ON THESE THINGS 12 YEARS AGO, THERE WAS NOT A WORD FOR THAT.

NOW WE CALL IT SUNNY DAY FLOODING, NUISANCE FLOODING, HIGH TIDE FLOODING, MINOR FLOODING.

SO NOW WE HAVE AT LEAST FOUR TERMS FOR THIS PHENOMENON, WHICH I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT AT LEAST 12 YEARS AGO.

AND THAT IS A FIRST GLIMPSE OF WHAT SEA LEVEL RISE WILL DO TO MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE GLOBE.

>>THE GOVERNOR HERE IN OUR STATE RECENTLY SIGNED THE RESILIENT FLORIDA LEGISLATION TO FUND RESILIENCE PROJECTS, CORAL REEF PROTECTION.

IS THAT SOMETHING YOU WELCOME?

>>THIS IS CERTAINLY A GOOD STEP.

I MEAN, AS YOU MENTIONED, NOTHING OR VERY LITTLE HAS HAPPENED OVER A LONG TIME.

COMMUNITIES WERE DOING THINGS BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ONES WHO EXPERIENCED THE IMPACT, BUT AT A STATE LEVEL THERE WAS NOT AS MUCH GOING ON AS ONE WOULD EXPECT, GIVEN THAT YOU LIVE IN FLORIDA AND BEING THE MOST VULNERABLE STATE TO SEA LEVEL RISE AND FLOODING IMPACTS.

SO I THINK THIS NEW RESILIENCY BILL IS DEFINITELY A BIG STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT OF COURSE MORE HAS TO COME IN THE FUTURE.

RIGHT NOW, THE FOCUS IS VERY MUCH ON SEA LEVEL RISE IMPACTS, BUT WE KNOW THAT CLIMATE CHANGE HAS WIDER IMPACT THEN JUST SEA LEVEL RISE AND FLOODING.

>>THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN CRITICIZED IN SOME QUARTERS FOR PUSHING COASTAL RESILIENCY, BUT NOT DOING MUCH ABOUT ROOT CAUSES.

CAN YOU DIVORCE THOSE TWO THINGS?

IS THAT A GOOD STRATEGY LONG TERM?

>>TO ME, THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO BECOME RESILIENT IN THE LONG-TERM.

ON THE ONE HAND, WE HAVE TO CURB OUR EMISSIONS BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING SEA LEVEL RISE.

ACCEPTING THE FACT THAT SEA LEVEL IS RISING IS VERY IMPORTANT AND AN OBVIOUS THING TO DO WHEN YOU LIVE IN FLORIDA AND YOU SEE THOSE THINGS HAPPENING FIRSTHAND.

BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT A VERY LARGE AMOUNT OF THE TRENDS THAT WE SEE AS A RECENT HIGH TRENDS THAT WE SEE IN SEA LEVEL RISE CAN NOT BE EXPLAINED THROUGH ANY KIND OF NATURAL VARIABILITY.

WE KNOW THAT THOSE ARE LINKED TO MANMADE ACTIVITY IN PARTICULAR CO2 EMISSIONS.

SO WE NEED TO CURB OUR EMISSIONS IF WE WANT TO MANAGE SEA LEVEL RISE IMPACTS IN THE LONG RUN.

SO THAT IS INEVITABLE.

>>FASCINATING DISCUSSION THERE.

SO HAZEL, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE OFFICIAL PREDICTIONS FOR THIS HURRICANE SEASON.

WE HAD A NAMED STORM EVEN BEFORE THE SEASON OFFICIALLY STARTED.

>>EXACTLY JUST LIKE WE SAW LAST YEAR.

SO BASICALLY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE RESTORATION HAS ALREADY RELEASED THEIR PREDICTIONS FOR THIS YEAR, AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE A 60% ABOVE THE NORMAL HURRICANE SEASON.

HOWEVER, DON'T GET SO ALARMED BECAUSE APPARENTLY BASED ON WHAT OFFICIALS ARE SAYING, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AS ACTIVE AS LAST YEAR WHEN IT GOES OUT.

WHEN IT GOES DOWN TO NUMBERS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FROM 13 TO 20 STORMS WITH NAMES AND WINDS STARTING AT 39 MILES PER HOUR, THEN WHEN WE'RE MOVING ON TO 6 TO 10 HURRICANES WITH WINDS OF AT 74 MILES PER HOUR.

REMEMBER THESE ARE JUST PREDICTIONS AND WE'RE COUNTING WITH TWO, THREE, OR FROM THREE TO FIVE BIG HURRICANES OF CATEGORIES, THREE OR HIGHER.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAXIMUM WINDS OF 110 MILES PER HOUR.

INTERESTING, BECAUSE THEY ALSO RELEASED ALL THE NAMES THAT THEY'RE PREDICTING FOR THESE STORMS THAT MAY TAKE PLACE IN OUR AREA.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE NAMES ARE ANNA, BILL, CLAUDETTE, DANNY, ELSA, FRED, GRACE, HENRY, EDA, JULIAN, KATE, LARRY MINDY, NICHOLAS, ODETTE, PETER, ROSE, SAM, THERESA, VICTOR, WANDA.

>>WE GOT THE WHOLE ROLL CALL THERE.

THANK YOU.

SO WILKINE, WHAT DOES THIS RESILIENT FLORIDA PLAN PASS THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION ACTUALLY DO SPECIFICALLY?

LET'S TALK MORE ABOUT THAT.

>>YEAH, WELL, THE RESILIENCY INFRASTRUCTURE IS TO PROTECT FLORIDIANS FROM RISING SEA LEVELS, STRONGER STORMS AS SOME OF THE NAMES THAT HAZEL HAS MENTIONED HERE.

BUT DESPITE THAT HUGE BI-PARTISAN EFFORT TO REALLY FUND THIS RESILIENCY PROGRAM, THERE WAS SOME PUSHBACK BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURE USED SOME OF THE FUNDING FROM THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND TO PAY FOR THE GRANTS.

NONETHELESS, A HUGE DEAL CONSIDERING CLIMATE CHANGE CONTINUES TO WREAK HAVOC ON OUR STATE.

THE BILL JUST PASSED UNANIMOUSLY IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE.

SO THERE IS STILL WORK TO BE DONE IN TERMS OF HOW IT'S GOING TO PROTECT FLORIDIANS FROM THESE ARISING CLIMATE CHANGE AND WHATNOT.

AND SO, YEAH, WE HAVE SOME MORE TIME TO SEE.

>>YEAH, THAT BIPARTISAN NATURE OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE DISCUSSION OF IT HERE IN FLORIDA IS SOMETHING ELSE THAT I TALKED TO THOMAS WAHL ABOUT.

AND YOU CAN FIND THAT FULL INTERVIEW ON OUR WEBSITE, WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

HAZEL, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS INCREASED TO A BILLION DOLLARS FUNDING FOR FEMA'S BUILDING RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITIES OR BRICK PROGRAM THIS YEAR, AS HURRICANE SEASON GETS UNDERWAY.

FLORIDA IS A RECIPIENT OF THAT MONEY.

WHERE CAN THAT MONEY BE SPENT?

>>THIS MONEY CAN BE SPENT ON RESEARCH TO UNDERSTAND THESE EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE DURING THE LAST YEARS, AND ALSO TO GET PREPARED, ESPECIALLY THESE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE UNDERSERVED.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MINIMUM THINGS THAT WE MAY CONSIDER MINIMUM, BUT THEY'RE VERY NEEDED WHEN IT COMES TO HURRICANE SEASON.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SANDBAGS.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GETTING THE PROPER EQUIPMENT FOR THEM TO GET IN LINE FOR THIS HURRICANE SEASON THAT JUST STARTED IN JUNE 1ST AND WILL EXTEND UNTIL THE 30TH OF NOVEMBER.

>>I THINK IT'S ALSO WORTH NOTING.

YOU KNOW, WE MAY HAVE A PREDICTION OF A SLIGHTLY QUIETER HURRICANE SEASON, BUT OF COURSE IT'S NEVER A QUIET HURRICANE SEASON.

IF WHERE YOU LIVE IS HIT WITH A HURRICANE, EVEN IF THERE'S JUST ONE.

WILKINE, I'M KIND OF INTERESTED IN SOME RESEARCH THAT'S BEEN DONE ON THE INEQUITIES AND ON UNEVEN RECOVERY THAT WE SEE AFTER CLIMATE EVENTS.

I MEAN, WE SAW THAT UP CLOSE AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA.

I COVERED THAT IN 2005 IN NEW ORLEANS, AND IT TOOK YEARS FOR SOME COMMUNITIES TO BUILD BACK UP AGAIN.

WHY DO WE THINK THAT IS?

AND DO WE SEE THAT IN FLORIDA AFTER HURRICANES, I WAS RECENTLY IN THE PANHANDLE AND THE HURRICANE DAMAGE THERE IS STILL VERY EVIDENT.

>>WELL, AS YOU KNOW, ANY DISTRESS COMMUNITY THAT IS ALREADY FACING INCOME INEQUALITY AND WEALTH DISPARITIES WILL FACE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF IMPACT AFTER A NATURAL DISASTER.

AND SO THERE IS A BODY OF RESEARCH THAT IS DEVELOPING RIGHT NOW TO FACE THESE SPECIFIC ISSUES.

AND THEY'RE CALLED SOCIAL VULNERABILITY RESEARCHERS, AND THEY SEE THAT RESOURCES ARE NOT ALLOCATED EQUITABLY TO POOR MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AFTER A NATURAL DISASTER.

SO THERE IS A BODY OF RESEARCH THAT IS MAPPING AND MEASURING THESE SPECIFIC INEQUITIES TO HELP WITH RISK REDUCTION AND BETTER RECOVERY AFTER THESE SAID DISASTERS.

AND SO PART OF THAT IS FIGURING OUT WHAT ARE THE ROOT CAUSES THAT KEEPS THESE COMMUNITIES DISTRESSED BEFORE A DISASTER, AND WHAT ARE THE WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN ACTUALLY HELP THESE COMMUNITIES AFTER A SPECIFIC DISASTER.

AND THAT REQUIRES MORE [INAUDIBLE] RESEARCH TO HELP WITH RISK REDUCTION AND SO FORTH.

>>THAT'LL BE FASCINATING TO SEE THE RESULTS OF THAT RESEARCH.

AND I, I DON'T KNOW, NO DOUBT.

AND MAYBE I HOPE THAT THEY DO LOOK INTO PUERTO RICO AFTER HURRICANE MARIA AND PUT THAT ON THE LIST FOR SURE, SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.

AND WE WANT TO REMIND YOU, YOU CAN FIND LINKS FOR UCF'S COASTAL AND THE FLORIDA RESILIENT COASTLINES PROGRAM ON OUR WEBSITE.

SOMETHING REALLY ALL FLORIDIANS SHOULD BE INTERESTED IN AND UNDERSTAND.

IT'S ALL AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

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

WE COULD HAVE KEPT THE SHOW GOING FOR ANOTHER HALF HOUR.

MY THANKS TO HAZEL ORTIZ FROM UNIVISION NEWS IN ORLANDO AND WILKINE BRUTUS COMING TO US FROM WLRN.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:30 RIGHT HERE ON WUCF FROM STEVE AND ME AND ALL OF US HERE AT NEWS NIGHT, HAVE A GOOD AND SAFE WEEKEND.