>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT AS PRESIDENT BIDEN OUTLINES HIS ADMINISTRATION'S RESPONSE TO THE OMICRON VARIANT, WE'LL LOOK AT WHAT IT MIGHT MEAN FOR CENTRAL FLORIDA.

LAWMAKERS ARE SET TO DEBATE THE GOVERNOR'S SPENDING PROPOSALS FOR NEXT YEAR AS THE STATE REPORTS HIGHER THAN EXPECTED TAX REVENUES AMID BOOMING RETAIL SALES.

AND WHAT DOES THE FUTURE OF GAMBLING IN FLORIDA LOOK LIKE AFTER THE COLLAPSE OF THE SEMINOLE GAMING COMPACT.

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO, I'M NANCY ALVAREZ AND WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT WHERE WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG STORIES IMPACTING CENTRAL FLORIDA AND HOW THEY AFFECT ALL OF US, AND WE DO THIS BY BRINGING TOGETHER A TEAM OF JOURNALISTS FROM DIFFERENT LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR IN-DEPTH DISCUSSIONS ON THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES.

SO JOINING US THIS WEEK IN THE STUDIO, NADEEN YANES FROM WKMG CHANNEL 6, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND VIA SKYPE, DARA KAM FROM THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA.

SO THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.

WE KNOW HOW BUSY YOU ARE, AND THERE'S A LOT TO COVER TODAY.

FIRST, TONIGHT, THE OMICRON VARIANT OF THE CORONAVIRUS AND WHAT IT MIGHT MEAN FOR CENTRAL FLORIDA.

>>LAST WEEK, THE PRESIDENT OUTLINED HIS PLANS FOR TACKLING THE SPREAD OF OMICRON IN THE UNITED STATES.

AMONG THE STEPS UNVEILED BY THE WHITE HOUSE IS A CHANGE TO THE TESTING REQUIREMENTS FOR INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS.

>>YOU HAVE TO ACTIVATE- >>THIS WEEK, THE US TIGHTENED RECENTLY ANNOUNCED PRE-DEPARTURE TESTING PROTOCOLS.

ALL TRAVELERS, BOTH US AND FOREIGN NATIONALS WILL NOW NEED TO GET A COVID TEST WITHIN 24 HOURS OF DEPARTURE, REGARDLESS OF VACCINATION STATUS.

>>BUT WHILE WE KNOW THE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS CAN SLOW THE SPREAD OF OMICRON, THEY CANNOT PREVENT IT.

BUT IT DOES GIVE US A LITTLE MORE TIME TO TAKE MORE PRECAUTIONS AT HOME TO PREPARE.

A MONTH AGO, WE ANNOUNCED REQUIREMENTS THAT FOREIGN TRAVELERS MUST BE VACCINATED IF ENTERING THE UNITED STATES.

THIS WEEK I ANNOUNCED AN ADDITIONAL ACTION TO STRENGTHEN INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL RULES.

TO GIVE US MORE TIME TO STOP THE SPREAD AND STUDY A NEW VARIANT.

>>THAT WILL IMPACT MILLIONS OF INTERNATIONAL VISITORS TO FLORIDA JUST WHEN MANY TOURISTS ARE EXPECTED TO START TRAVELING TO THE US AGAIN, FOLLOWING THE RECENT LIFTING OF A BAN ON NON-ESSENTIAL FOREIGN NATIONAL ARRIVALS.

BRITISH AIRWAYS AND VIRGIN ATLANTIC RECENTLY RESUMED DIRECT FLIGHTS TO ORLANDO AFTER A LONG PANDEMIC HIATUS.

>>YOU HAVE TO ALWAYS BE MINDFUL THAT THESE VARIANTS ARE OUT THERE AND YOU'VE GOT TO MANAGE THEM.

SO WE ARE GOING TO BE FOCUSED ON ALL THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO IN TERMS OF KEEPING THE TERMINAL CLEAN AND FOLLOWING PROCEDURES, BUT I THINK WE'RE ON A GOOD PATH.

>>THE WHITE HOUSE PLANS ALSO INCLUDE EXTENDING MASK REQUIREMENTS ON PLANES, TRAINS, AND PUBLIC TRANSIT THROUGH MARCH.

THOSE RULES WERE ORIGINALLY SET TO EXPIRE IN JANUARY, BUT IN FLORIDA, WHICH RELIES HEAVILY ON OUT-OF-STATE VISITORS FOR REVENUE, GOVERNOR DESANTIS BLASTED THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S NEW TRAVEL RULES >>PRESIDENT BIDEN'S DOING BY TRYING TO IMPOSE MORE RESTRICTIONS...

HE'S NOW GOING TO SAY THAT IF YOU GO TO THE BAHAMAS AS AN AMERICAN CITIZEN AND YOU COME BACK, YOU'VE GOT TO DO A TEST, A COVID TEST, BUT IF YOU JUST COME RIGHT ACROSS THE BORDER ILLEGALLY, THEN SOMEHOW THAT'S FINE AND WE DON'T CARE ABOUT THE TEST OR VACCINATION.

I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.

I THINK IT'S ALL IT'S GOING TO DO IS CAUSE A LOT OF PROBLEMS.

I DON'T THINK THAT THEY SHOULD BE IMPOSING ANY MANDATES ON AIR TRAVEL OR ANY OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE DONE.

>>THE GOVERNOR POINTS TO FLORIDA'S CURRENT LOW NUMBER OF COVID CASES AS PROOF.

HIS HANDS OFF APPROACH TO THE VIRUS IS WORKING WHILE INFECTIONS CLIMB IN NORTHERN STATES.

MEANWHILE, EMERGENCY MANAGERS ARE REPORTING AN INCREASE IN VACCINE DEMAND IN CENTRAL FLORIDA AMID THE SPREAD OF THE OMICRON VARIANT, WHICH SCIENTISTS BELIEVE COULD BE MORE TRANSMISSIBLE.

>>ALL RIGHT.

SO NADEEN LET'S TACKLE THIS.

HERE WE GO.

THE TOURISM INDUSTRY IN FLORIDA HAS BEEN EYEING A MAJOR COMEBACK, AS WE KNOW, INCLUDING THE RETURN OF INTERNATIONAL VISITORS.

NOW IT'S THE HOLIDAYS.

SO IS THIS A SETBACK?

>>OF COURSE, VISIT ORLANDO SAYS THEY ARE WATCHING THIS CLOSELY, BUT THEY ARE VERY CONFIDENT IN THE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT AND ALL THE PROTOCOLS IN PLACE THAT PEOPLE CAN CONTINUE TO TRAVEL SAFELY.

ORLANDO HAS... AS YOU KNOW, OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY HAS BEEN OPEN SINCE VERY EARLY ON IN THIS PANDEMIC.

>>THE GOOD NEWS, THE INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS COMING BACK WAS THE LAST PIECE OF THE PUZZLE FOR OUR ECONOMIC RECOVERY.

THEY HAD SAID, FIRST, WE NEED THAT DOMESTIC TRAVEL, THEN CONVENTION AND BUSINESS CAME BACK, REALLY IN THE SUMMER REALLY RAMPED UP, AND THEN WE HAVE INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS COMING BACK.

THE DEMAND WAS THERE TOO, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING TO HEAR.

I THINK THE BRITISH AIRWAYS WEBSITE ACTUALLY CRASHED- >>THEY MISSED US.

THE FIRST DAY.

>>THEY MISSED US VERY MUCH.

>>THEY MISSED US.

THEY WERE BACK.

SO THAT'S THE LAST PIECE AND VISIT ORLANDO SAYS IT'S REALLY TOO EARLY TO TELL HOW OMICRON'S GOING TO PLAY A FACTOR IN THAT.

>>AND YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT HOW PEOPLE CAME BACK, SORT OF STEP BY STEP.

HOW ARE THINGS LOOKING NOW STATEWIDE?

>>WELL, WE HAD OUR TDT COLLECTIONS IN OCTOBER, THE HIGHEST THEY BEEN SINCE THE SUMMER IN JULY SO THAT'S GREAT.

THAT'S WHEN DISNEY CELEBRATED ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY AND WE'RE GOING INTO THE CHRISTMAS SEASON REALLY EXCITED.

HOTELS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY BOOKED ABOUT 60%, WHICH IS STRONG, BUT GOING INTO CHRISTMAS, THE OUTLOOK RIGHT NOW IS 95% OF THE HOTELS ARE BOOKED ACCORDING TO VISIT ORLANDO.

THAT'S VERY CLOSE TO 2019 LEVELS WHEN WE BROKE RECORDS, $75 BILLION.

THAT WAS A HUGE YEAR FOR US IN 2019.

IF WE CAN GET ANYWHERE NEAR THAT, IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT FOR OUR RECOVERY.

>>YEAH.

WELL, GOVERNOR DESANTIS, AS WE KNOW, HAS BEEN CRITICAL OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S RESPONSE.

CRITICAL IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT, RIGHT?

WHAT DOES HE OBJECT TO AND WHAT DOES HE THINK THE EFFECT MIGHT BE?

>>HE DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT ANY KIND OF RESTRICTIONS OR MANDATES ARE REALLY GOING TO DO ANYTHING.

HE SAYS WHEN IT COMES TO OMICRON, HE'S NOT CHANGING ANYTHING HERE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN KIND OF MAKING THESE RESTRICTIONS TO HAVING A COVID TEST WITHIN 24 HOURS INSTEAD OF 72, AND THEN EXTENDING THE MASK MANDATE INTO MARCH IS MORE OF AN INCONVENIENCE TO THE TRAVELERS THAN ACTUALLY DOING ANYTHING.

AT LEAST, IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, HE'S NOT PLANNING ON CHANGING ANYTHING.

>>YEAH.

LET'S TALK ABOUT BOOSTERS.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS URGING BOOSTERS AND WE'VE SEEN A BUMP IN VACCINE DEMAND HERE LOCALLY OVER RECENT DAYS, ACTUALLY.

SO WHERE DO WE STAND IN TERMS OF VACCINE COVERAGE HERE IN OUR AREA NOW?

>>TO BE HONEST, WE'VE ASKED ABOUT THE INCREASE IN DEMAND AND WE HAVE SEEN THAT.

OSCEOLA COUNTY SAW DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THIS WEEK TRYING TO GET THEIR BOOSTERS.

OMICRON REALLY HAS IT ON THE FOREFRONT.

THE CDC HAS CHANGED THEIR GUIDANCE SAYING, OH, YOU COULD GET YOUR BOOSTER TO YOU PROBABLY SHOULD.

>>RIGHT.

>>SO THE DEMAND IS THERE.

IN ALL OF OUR COVERAGE IN LOOKING AT WHAT THE DEMAND LOOKS LIKE, WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT SUPPLY ISSUES.

>>OKAY.

>>SO MAYBE BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING THAT IT ISN'T AN ISSUE AS OF THIS POINT.

BUT AGAIN, THE GUIDANCE IS IF YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN YOUR BOOSTER, GO AHEAD AND DO SO.

I WAS THERE THE FIRST DAY THAT BOOSTERS WERE OPEN FOR ADULTS AT BARNETT PARK, NOT A SINGLE PERSON IN LINE.

>>WOW.

>>WE KNOW THAT NOW THERE'S A WAIT.

SO IT'S GOOD TO HEAR.

>>YEAH.

YEAH.

DARA, LET'S BRING YOU INTO THE CONVERSATION HERE.

DISNEY, ADVENT HEALTH, OTHER LARGE COMPANIES IN FLORIDA HAVE SUSPENDED THEIR VACCINE MANDATES BECAUSE OF THE NEW STATE LAWS PASSED LAST MONTH.

IS THIS THE OUTCOME THE DESANTIS ADMINISTRATION HAD HOPED FOR?

>>IT'S PRECISELY WHAT THE GOVERNOR WANTED.

AS YOU MENTIONED, THE GOVERNOR HAS VOCIFEROUSLY FOUGHT BACK AGAINST THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S VACCINATION MANDATES, TESTING MANDATES.

THE LEGISLATURE PASSED A LAW THAT ESSENTIALLY BANS BUSINESSES FROM REQUIRING PEOPLE TO BE VACCINATED AND THAT HAS GOTTEN... THEIR APPROACH HAS GOTTEN PRETTY WIDESPREAD SUPPORT FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY BECAUSE THERE IS A LITTLE WIGGLE ROOM SO THAT YOU CAN REQUIRE...

IF YOU DON'T REQUIRE A VACCINATION, YOU CAN ASK PEOPLE TO GET TESTED.

YOU CAN ASK FOR THEM TO WEAR PPE.

SO I THINK THAT THE GOVERNOR IS... THAT THE BUSINESSES ARE RESPONDING IN JUST THE WAY THAT THE GOVERNOR ANTICIPATED THAT THEY WOULD.

>>YEAH.

AND BASED ON WHAT YOU JUST SAID, YEAH, THE GOVERNOR SAYS HIS STRATEGY IS WORKING CITING FLORIDA'S LOW CASE COUNTS SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT RIGHT NOW COMPARED TO OTHER STATES THAT HAVE MORE MITIGATION MEASURES IN PLACE.

SO WHAT ARE OTHER STATES EXPERIENCING?

ARE THEY SEEING A SURGE LIKE WE HAD IN THE SUMMER?

>>NO, WE'RE ABSOLUTELY... OTHER STATES ARE SEEING A SURGE, BUT NOWHERE CLOSE TO WHAT FLORIDA WAS SEEING THIS SUMMER.

WE WERE AT 10,000 CASES A DAY AVERAGING OVER THE SUMMER AND OUR DEATHS WERE SKY HIGH.

THE GOOD NEWS IS FLORIDA, RIGHT NOW, WE ARE IN A GOOD SPOT.

WE ARE KIND OF ON THAT BOTTOM- >>YEAH.

>>BOTTOM OF THE NATION WHEN IT COMES TO CASE COUNTS.

WE'RE AT NOW 10,000 CASES A WEEK.

35 DEATHS REPORTED LAST WEEK.

THOSE ARE SOME GREAT NUMBERS BUT AGAIN, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THAT POSSIBLY SLOWLY CREEP UP AGAIN, BECAUSE OF OMICRON AND AGAIN, WHAT THE NORTHERN STATES ARE SEEING AND OTHER STATES IS NOTHING CLOSE TO WHAT WE SAW HERE IN FLORIDA OVER THE SUMMER.

>>YOU THINK ABOUT HOLIDAY GATHERINGS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

>>RIGHT.

>>ALL RIGHT.

BE SURE TO JOIN THIS CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WE ARE AT WUCF TV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM.

BE SURE TO JOIN US THERE.

>>ALL RIGHT.

WELL, COVID-19 IS LIKELY TO CONTINUE TO BE AN ISSUE IN THE UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT BEGINS NEXT MONTH.

STEVE MORT LOOKS AT WHAT IS SET TO BE A CONTENTIOUS FEW WEEKS.

>>WITH THE OMICRON VARIANT IN CIRCULATION, GOVERNOR DESANTIS SAYS THAT COVID-19 IS LIKELY HERE TO STAY.

THE LEGISLATURE JUST PASSED FOUR COVID RELATED BILLS IN A RECENT SPECIAL SESSION AIMED AT CRACKING DOWN ON VACCINE MANDATES IN FLORIDA, BUT LAWMAKERS ARE NOT DONE YET.

THE UPCOMING SESSION IS SET TO DEBATE A BILL TO EXTEND LIABILITY PROTECTIONS FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND A SO-CALLED DOCTOR FREE SPEECH BILL TO PROTECT MEDICS WHO MAKE DUBIOUS CLAIMS ABOUT QUESTIONABLE TREATMENTS OR CURES.

>>ABORTION IS ALSO LIKELY TO BE FRONT AND CENTER WITH THE FUTURE OF ROE VERSUS WADE IN FRONT OF THE US SUPREME COURT.

LAWMAKERS MUST ALSO APPROVE NEW ELECTORAL MAPS AS THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS CONTINUES, AND THEY HAVE TO PASS A BUDGET.

A LEGISLATIVE REPORT OUT LAST WEEK SHOWED FLORIDA RAKED IN $435 MILLION MORE IN REVENUE IN OCTOBER THAN HAD BEEN PROJECTED, 70% OF WHICH CAME FROM SALES TAX RECEIPTS.

>>ALL RIGHT.

SO DARA, LET'S START WITH YOU AND LET'S START WITH THE BUDGET, WHICH WE SHOULD NOTE THE GOVERNOR IS UNVEILING AS WE SPEAK THURSDAY MORNING, AS WE'RE TAPING THE SHOW.

WHAT GREAT TIMING HE HAD.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S PRIORITIES FOR NEXT YEAR.

>>WELL, THE GOVERNOR WANTS TO SPEND QUITE A BIT OF MONEY ON BOOSTING SALARIES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS.

FOR FIRST RESPONDERS, HE WANTS TO CONTINUE THE $1000 DOLLAR BONUSES THAT THEY RECEIVED THIS YEAR.

THE GOVERNOR HAS MADE HIMSELF INTO QUITE A LAW AND ORDER GOVERNOR.

AS WE KNOW, HE'S MAYBE EYEING A RUN FOR PRESIDENT IN 2024.

FIRST, HE NEEDS TO GET REELECTED.

HE'S VERY MUCH SUPPORTING FIREFIGHTERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS FROM A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT..., OF STATE AGENCIES.

SO WE'LL SEE THAT.

>>HE'S ALSO COMING OUT WITH QUITE A BIT OF MONEY IN HIS PROPOSAL FOR EVERGLADES RESTORATION.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HE DID RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE WHEN HE TOOK OFFICE IN 2019.

SO I THINK THAT HE'S ON TRACK TO HAVE A VERY SUCCESSFUL LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

AS YOU KNOW, THE REPUBLICANS CONTROL BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE AND SO HIS AGENDA WILL LIKELY..., IS A STARTING POINT FOR LEGISLATORS AS THEY CRAFT THE STATE BUDGET.

BUT HE'S PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER ROUND OF SUCCESSES IN HIS REELECTION YEAR.

>>YEAH.

DIGGING A LITTLE DEEPER INTO THAT.

WHEN YOU COMBINE STRONG REVENUES AND FEDERAL STIMULUS MONEY, WE LIKELY TO SEE LAWMAKERS PASS A PRETTY LARGE BUDGET AFTER THE RECORD WE SAW DURING THE LAST SESSION.

>>I THINK WE CAN EXPECT THAT.

I THINK THE GOVERNOR ALSO WILL DO QUITE...

HE WILL VETO...

HE'S NO NOT KEEN ON AND THE LEGISLATURE ISN'T KEEN ON LOCAL PROJECTS.

THOSE ARE THINGS LIKE MONEY FOR LIBRARIES AND WATER PROJECTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THOSE OFTENTIMES FACE AN UPHILL BATTLE, EVEN WHEN YOU HAVE A LOT OF..., WHEN THE STATE IS FLUSH WITH CASH AS THEY ARE NOW.

IT IS SORT OF IRONIC THAT THE GOVERNOR IS SO...

HE HAS SO MUCH ANTAGONISM TOWARDS THE DEMOCRATS IN WASHINGTON AND WITH THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AND YET, A LOT OF THIS MONEY THAT THEY'RE THROWING AROUND TOWARDS RAISES FOR FIRST RESPONDERS AND THINGS, BONUSES LIKE THAT, IT'S COMING FROM FEDERAL STIMULUS MONEY.

>>RIGHT.

LET'S FOCUS ON A MAJOR ISSUE HERE IN OUR AREA.

NADEEN, STATE REP, CARLOS GUILLERMO SMITH THIS WEEK CALLED FOR THE LEGISLATURE TO ADDRESS OUR REGION'S HOUSING CRISIS IN THE BUDGET, THAT CONTINUES TO BE A CRISIS YEAR AFTER YEAR.

SO WHAT EXACTLY IS HE PROPOSING?

>>WELL, LET'S GET A SNAPSHOT.

WE KNEW THAT GOING INTO THE PANDEMIC, WE WERE AT AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS.

IT HAS ONLY MADE IT WORSE.

THIS IS SOMETHING I'VE BEEN REPORTING IN OUR BOOMTOWN FRANCHISE WEEKLY AT NEWS 6.

AND WHAT WE KNOW NOW IS WE'RE SEEING SKY HIGH RENT INCREASES UP 20%.

MY FRIEND GOT A $400 RENT INCREASE ON HER RENEWAL AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD.

NOT ONLY THAT, THE LATEST HOUSING REPORT SHOWS THE MEDIAN COST OF A HOUSE RIGHT NOW AS OF OCTOBER IS $325,000 IN THE ORLANDO REAL ESTATE MARKET, WHICH IS SEMINOLE, OSCEOLA, AND LAKE COUNTIES AND ORANGE COUNTIES.

THAT IS UP 20%.

THAT'S THE HIGHEST IT'S EVER BEEN AND FORECLOSURES, ACCORDING TO REPRESENTATIVE SMITH ARE UP 17%.

>>SO IT'S EXPENSIVE TO LIVE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA AND HIS ARGUMENT IS FLORIDIANS CAN'T AFFORD IT.

THERE'S THIS THING CALLED THE SADOWSKI FUND THAT WAS CREATED 18 YEARS AGO TO...

I'M SORRY, MORE THAN 18 YEARS AGO TO CREATE REAL ESTATE TAXES, TO PUT IT IN A FUND TO USE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

BUT FOR THE LAST 18 YEARS, THAT FUND HAS BEEN RAIDED TO GO TO OTHER PROJECTS IN PART OF THE BUDGET.

>>SO REPRESENTATIVE SMITH SAID HEY, LOOK, LET'S USE THIS FUND FOR WHAT IT'S DESIGNED FOR, WHAT WE MADE IT.

SO WHEN YOU BUY A HOUSE OR WHEN I BUY A HOUSE, THERE'S TAXES THAT GO INTO THIS FUND SOLELY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

HE SAID, WHY NOT USE IT ALL?

IN 2019, THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THE STATE HAD PASSED THAT THEY WANTED TO FULLY FUND THE SADOWSKI FUND AND THEN THE PANDEMIC HIT.

>>RIGHT.

>>SO WE'LL SEE IF IT HAPPENS THIS TIME.

>>YEAH.

WE'LL ALL BE WATCHING THAT CLOSELY FOR SURE AND DARA, LET'S TURN NOW TO ABORTION.

A VOLUSIA STATE REP, WEBSTER BARNABY ALREADY TABLED A BILL FOR THE UPCOMING SESSION, BUT PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS TO PASS HEARTBEAT BILLS HAVE FAILED IN FLORIDA.

MIGHT THEY SUCCEED NEXT YEAR IF THE SUPREME COURT LETS MISSISSIPPI LAW STAND?

>>I DON'T BELIEVE THAT REPRESENTATIVE...

I'M SORRY.

BECAUSE I ALWAYS...

HE HAS TWO FIRST NAMES AND LAST NAMES.

REPRESENTATIVE BARNABY'S BILL, IT WILL BE THE ONE THAT WILL ULTIMATELY PASS.

THE LEGISLATURE IS VERY CONSERVATIVE AND I THINK THAT THEY ARE WATCHING...

I KNOW THEY'RE WATCHING VERY CLOSELY WHAT THE SUPREME COURT IS GOING TO DO.

I EXPECT THEM TO PASS A 15 WEEK ABORTION BILL THAT WOULD NOT BE A HEARTBEAT BILL AND I ALSO DON'T EXPECT THEM TO HAVE THE COMPONENT WHERE YOUR NEIGHBORS CAN TELL ON YOU.

I DON'T THINK THOSE WILL LIKELY FLY IN THE SENATE.

>>THE HOUSE WOULD GO ALONG WITH THAT.

THE INCOMING SENATE PRESIDENT, SENATOR KATHLEEN PASSIDOMO IS CHAIRWOMAN OF THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE.

SHE IS WHAT USED TO BE CALLED A MODERATE.

I DON'T THINK SHE WOULD WANT TO BE CALLED A MODERATE BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF A DIRTY WORD IN REPUBLICAN POLITICS NOWADAY, BUT I DON'T THINK THE SENATE REALLY HAS THE STOMACH TO GO ALONG WITH A BILL THAT IS QUITE AS STRINGENT AS THE TEXAS ABORTION BILL.

>>ALL RIGHT, WELL FINALLY TONIGHT.

THE SEMINOLE TRIBE OF FLORIDA LAST WEEKEND SUSPENDED ITS HARD ROCK SPORTS BOOK AMID A COURT FIGHT OVER THE MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR GAMING COMPACT SIGNED EARLIER THIS YEAR.

THE DEAL WHICH HAD BEEN APPROVED BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR WOULD HAVE NETTED THE STATE AT LEAST TWO AND A HALF BILLION DOLLARS IN JUST THE FIRST FIVE YEARS.

>>HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW.

THE NEW SEMINOLE TRIBE COMPACT IS NOW IN FULL EFFECT ACROSS FLORIDA.

>>AT LEAST, IT WAS UNTIL A JUDGE THREW OUT THE AGREEMENT.

IN APRIL, GOVERNOR DESANTIS SIGNED THE GAMING COMPACT WITH THE SEMINOLES.

IT ALLOWED THE TRIBE TO OPERATE ONLINE AND RETAIL SPORTS BETTING STATEWIDE, AND TO ADD NEW GAMES TO ITS CASINOS, INCLUDING ROULETTE AND CRAPS.

THE DEAL HAD GOTTEN BIPARTISAN SUPPORT WHEN APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATURE.

>>NOT ONLY WILL THE HOUSE WIN, BUT THE PEOPLE OF FLORIDA WILL WIN AS WELL.

THIS IS A GOOD DEAL.

YOU CAN FEEL GOOD ABOUT VOTING FOR IT.

>>THE COMPACT HANDED THE TRIBE A 30 YEAR MONOPOLY.

>>WE BELIEVE, ON THE ISSUE OF SPORTS BETTING, IT'S GOING ON ANYWAY.

PEOPLE ARE DOING IT.

THEY HAVE THINGS THAT GO OVERSEAS.

AND THIS AGREEMENT MAKES THE TRIBE, THE SOLE PROVIDER OF THAT ON TRIBAL LANDS.

THE SERVERS.

WE THINK THAT ONE, THAT WILL END UP ALLOWING, I WOULD SAY THE TRIBE COULD MONETIZE THAT, THE STATE WILL BE ABLE TO MONETIZE PART OF THAT.

>>THE LENGTH OF THE DEAL HAD PROMPTED CONCERN FROM A HANDFUL OF LAWMAKERS.

>>I THINK THAT WE CAN SPEND A LITTLE MORE TIME ON IT.

NOT ONLY THAT, BUT I THINK THAT WE CAN GET A MUCH BETTER DEAL THAN THIS.

THIS DEAL FEELS RUSHED.

THIS DEAL FEELS LIKE WE CAME TO THE TABLE WITH THE SEMINOLES FROM A POSITION OF DESPERATION.

>>SATURDAY, THE SEMINOLE TRIBE WAS FORCED TO TAKE ITS ONLINE SPORTS BOOK DOWN.

A JUDGE RECENTLY TOSSED OUT THE ENTIRE COMPACT, RULING IT VIOLATED THE FEDERAL INDIAN GAMING REGULATORY ACT.

>>ALL SIDES PULLED TOGETHER TO PASS THIS LAW.

>>THE ACT REQUIRES ALL STATE SANCTIONED GAMBLING TO TAKE PLACE ON TRIBAL LAND.

>>I TRUST THE SEMINOLE TRIBE AND- >>THE COURT DESCRIBED AS FICTION THE STATE'S ARGUMENT THAT BECAUSE THE SERVERS TAKING THE BETS WERE ON TRIBAL LAND, IT DID NOT RUN A FOUL OF THE RULE.

>>ALL RIGHT.

SO DARA, LET'S DIG INTO THIS BECAUSE YOU HAVE COVERED THIS STORY EXTENSIVELY.

FIRST OF ALL, WHO BROUGHT THE LAWSUITS THAT RESULTED IN THIS COMPACT BEING THROWN OUT?

>>THERE WERE TWO SEPARATE LAWSUITS, BUT THE MAIN LAWSUIT WAS TWO PARA-MUTUALS, ONE IN MIAMI AND THE OTHER IN BONITA SPRINGS ON THE WEST COAST OWNED BY THE HAVENICK FAMILY AND THEY CHALLENGED THAT IT...

THEY MADE THE SAME ARGUMENT THAT THE JUDGE AGREED WITH THAT THIS IS A FICTION THAT SPORTS BETTING WHEN... REPRESENTATIVE FINE EVEN SAID IT.

WHEN YOU'RE SITTING IN YOUR BATHTUB MAKING YOUR BET ON YOUR MOBILE PHONE, DOES THAT REALLY CONSTITUTE A BET THAT IS MADE ON TRIBAL LANDS?

>>ONE OF THE SURPRISING THINGS THAT THE JUDGE DID WAS SHE ACTUALLY TOSSED OUT THE ENTIRE AGREEMENT.

IT WAS VERY CAREFULLY CRAFTED SO THAT THAT SPORTS BETTING PROVISION COULD BE SEVERED FROM THE REST OF IT, ALLOWING THE TRIBE TO CONTINUE TO MAKE PAYMENTS TO THE STATE AND ALLOWING THE TRIBE TO OFFER CRAPS AND ROULETTE AT ITS CASINOS, OTHER ITEMS IN THERE TOO.

BUT INSTEAD, SHE SCRAPPED THE ENTIRE DEAL.

>>SO NOW THE SEMINOLES, WHO WERE NOT A PARTY TO THE LAWSUIT HAVE FILED AN APPEAL IN WASHINGTON DC, WHERE THIS LAWSUIT WAS GOING ON.

THEY HAVE ASKED THE WASHINGTON BASED APPELLATE COURT TO ALLOW THEM TO INTERVENE IN THE CASE AND THEY WANT TO HAVE THE WHOLE LAWSUIT CHALLENGING THE COMPACT DISMISSED.

>>YEAH.

AND LET'S TALK MORE ABOUT HOW MANY LAWMAKERS HAD PREDICTED THE ONLINE PORTION OF THE COMPACT WOULD FAIL IN THE COURT.

SO WHY DID THEY EXPECT THAT AND WHY INCLUDED IT IN THE FIRST PLACE?

>>WELL, WHAT'S FUNNY ABOUT IT IS THEY PREDICTED THAT IT WOULD FAIL NOT BECAUSE OF FEDERAL LAW BUT BECAUSE OF A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT VOTERS IN FLORIDA APPROVED IN 2018 THAT REQUIRES A STATEWIDE VOTE FOR FUTURE EXPANSIONS OF GAMBLING.

SO THEY WERE WORRIED THAT WHAT WAS KNOWN AS AMENDMENT 3 WOULD'VE REQUIRED A STATEWIDE VOTE FOR BETS THAT ARE..., FOR MOBILE BETS THAT ARE BEING PLACED OUTSIDE OF TRIBAL PROPERTY.

I DON'T THINK ANYONE... >>MOST EXPERTS AND MOST PEOPLE WEREN'T REALLY FOCUSED ON WHAT THE FEDERAL LAW, THE INDIAN REGULATORY GAMING ACT, ON HOW THAT MIGHT AFFECT THE SPORTS BETTING PROVISION.

BUT YEAH.

AT THE TIME, THEY WERE SAYING... AND EVEN THE GOVERNOR SAID, "WELL, THIS IS KIND OF AN, A NEW AREA.

WE BELIEVE THAT WE'RE CORRECT AND THAT IT WILL BE UPHELD."

BUT IT WASN'T...

IT IS NOVEL AND IN ADDITION TO THE FEDERAL LAW, YOU'VE GOT THE STATE CONSTITUTION.

SO IT'S KIND OF VERY CONFUSING AND THERE'S A LOT OF GROUNDBREAKING INVOLVED IN WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO HERE.

>>SO NADEEN, THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY INVOLVED HERE.

WHY IS A COMPACT WITH THE SEMINOLE TRIBE SUCH A BIG DEAL FOR OUR STATE AS WHOLE?

>>YOU SAID IT.

IT'S MONEY.

AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET THIS MORNING...

THIS IS A 30 YEAR EXCLUSIVITY AGREEMENT.

IT IS A COMPACT AND IT IS A STREAM OF REVENUE FOR THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS ALONE, $2.5 BILLION IN REVENUE, 6 BILLION BY 2030, AND THAT'S A STEADY STREAM OF MONEY ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL 2051 IS THIS COMPACT.

>>WOW.

AND DARA, BREVARD STATE REP, RANDY FINE, CHAIR OF THE HOUSE LAW COMMITTEE ON GAMING, HE NOW SAYS PRESIDENT BIDEN, "...

OWES THIS STATE OF FLORIDA $500 MILLION A YEAR BECAUSE OF THE COURT RULING."

SO HOW DOES HE REACH THAT CONCLUSION?

>>I'M NOT QUITE SURE.

I THINK WHAT HE MEANT WAS THAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION DID NOT DO A VERY STRENUOUS JOB DEFENDING THE APPROVAL OF THE COMPACT, AND THERE WAS KIND OF A LACK LUSTER DEFENSE OF IT DURING A HEARING BEFORE THE FEDERAL JUDGE.

I THINK THAT'S WHY HE'S POINTING THE FINGER AT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AS OF THIS MORNING ALSO HAS NOT YET DECIDED WHETHER TO APPEAL THE JUDGE'S RULING.

AS I SAID, THE SEMINOLES ARE APPEALING.

THEY'RE NOT EVEN A PARTY TO THE LAWSUIT SO THAT COULD BE A LONG SHOT.

>>AND WE WANT TO MENTION BRIEFLY THAT MATT DIXON FROM POLITICO LAST MONTH REPORTED ON A BLOCKING CAMPAIGN BY THE SEMINOLES TO TRY TO PREVENT RIVALS FROM GETTING GAMING MEASURES ON THE BALLOT NEXT YEAR.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER LAYER TO THIS.

WHAT IS POLITICO'S REPORTING FIND, NADEEN?

>>WELL, IT'S REPORTING THAT THE SEMINOLE TRIBE HAS GONE AS FAR AS TO BUY UP ENTIRE COMPANIES THAT HAVE PETITIONERS OUT THERE GATHERING SIGNATURES, JUST SO THEY GATHER SIGNATURES FOR THEM.

SO THEY'RE BLOCKING THESE OTHER ONLINE SPORTS BETTING.

WE'VE HEARD OF FANDUEL, DRAFTKINGS.

I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE USE THESE WHO ARE TRYING TO GET MEASURES ON THE ACTUAL BALLOT FOR THE 2020 ELECTIONS.

POLITICO'S REPORTING THAT THE SEMINOLE'S TRIBES GOING AS FAR AS BULLYING THESE PETITIONERS, BUYING THEM OUT TO BLOCK THESE SIGNATURES.

THAT'S ONE OF MANY THINGS THAT THEY WERE REPORTING.

>>WOW.

ALL RIGHT.

AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE REPORTING ON THIS ALONG THE WAY, AND YOU CAN FIND LINKS TO THE INDIAN GAMING REGULATORY COMMISSION AND ALSO THE FULL TEXT OF THE SEMINOLE COMPACT ON OUR WEBSITE.

IT'S ALL THERE AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK.

MY THANKS TO NADEEN YANES FROM WKMG CHANNEL 6 AND DARA KAM FROM THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US THIS WEEK.

WE WILL 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.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.