>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE PREPARES TO TAKE UP ABORTION FOLLOWING THE RESTRICTIONS RECENTLY PASSED IN TEXAS.

THE STATE OF FLORIDA THREATENS ORANGE COUNTY WITH FINES OVER ITS VACCINE MANDATE FOR GOVERNMENT WORKERS, BUT MAYOR DEMINGS SAYS HE'S ON SOLID LEGAL GROUND.

AND THE FINAL PART IN OUR NEWSNIGHT CONVERSATION SERIES CHALLENGES AND CHANGES.

THIS WEEK AN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION ON CENTRAL FLORIDA'S TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.

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 THESE IN-DEPTH DISCUSSIONS ON IMPORTANT ISSUES.

SO JOINING US THIS WEEK, STEVE LEMONGELLO, WHO COVERS POLITICS FOR THE ORLANDO SENTINEL, AND VERONICA ZARAGOVIA, WHO COVERS HEALTH NEWS FOR WLRN.

THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

A LOT TO GET TO.

FIRST TONIGHT, THE STATE IS WARNING ORANGE COUNTY IT FACES STIFF PENALTIES OVER ITS VACCINE MANDATE FOR GOVERNMENT WORKERS.

IN A LETTER, THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WARNS MAYOR JERRY DEMINGS THAT A FLORIDA LAW SB 2006 PROHIBITS GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES FROM ASKING FOR PROOF OF COVID-19 VACCINATION.

THE LETTER THREATENS A $5,000 FINE PER CASE.

FLORIDA ATTORNEY GENERAL ASHLEY MOODY IS CHALLENGING BOTH FEDERAL AND LOCAL VACCINE MANDATES.

>>THIS IS NOT ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT SOMEONE SHOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER THE VACCINE.

AND I THINK THAT WAS PUT SO ELOQUENTLY.

MANY OF OUR FLORIDA OFFICIALS HAVE SAID PLEASE STRONGLY CONSIDER THE VACCINE WITH YOUR PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES, YOUR HISTORY, YOUR WORK CIRCUMSTANCES.

THIS IS ABOUT VERY SIMPLY HOW MUCH POWER DO OUR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HAVE WHEN WE HAVE NEVER GIVEN THEM THAT POWER TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

>>SO THE DEADLINE FOR ORANGE COUNTY GOVERNMENT WORKERS TO GET VACCINATED ACTUALLY PASSED THIS WEEK.

THOSE WHO REMAIN UNVACCINATED WILL GET A WRITTEN REPRIMAND.

MAYOR DEMINGS FORMALLY RESPONDED IN A LETTER TO THE STATE ON WEDNESDAY SAYING THE COUNTY WOULD VIGOROUSLY DEFEND ITSELF.

HE SAYS HIS VACCINE MANDATE DOES NOT RUN AFOUL OF FLORIDA LAW BECAUSE HE'S REMOVED THE THREAT OF TERMINATION, AND HE DESCRIBES THE LAW CITED BY THE STATE THIS WAY.

>>ARBITRARY, CAPRICIOUS, OVERBROAD AND DANGEROUSLY INHIBITS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FROM PROTECTING ITS CITIZENS.

>>ALL RIGHT.

SO STEVE, LET'S DIG INTO THIS.

THERE'S A DEBATE OVER WHAT SB 2006 ACTUALLY DOES BOTH IN TERMS OF MANDATES AND PROOF REQUIREMENTS.

AND IT TALKS ABOUT COMPANIES, GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, EMPLOYEES, AND CUSTOMERS IN DIFFERENT WAY.

IT'S COMPLEX.

SO HOW HAS MAYOR DEMINGS RESPONDED, AND IS IT CLEAR THAT ORANGE COUNTY IS ACTUALLY VIOLATING THE LAW?

>>YEAH, THAT'S THE THING.

WHEN THIS WAS FIRST PASSED, IT WAS ORIGINALLY TALKED ABOUT BY DESANTIS'S ADMINISTRATION AS A BAN AGAINST VACCINE PASSPORTS, COMPANIES AND OTHER THINGS CAN'T REQUIRE PROOF OF VACCINATION IN ORDER TO ENTER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

HE ACTUALLY SPECIFICALLY SAID ON MAY 4TH, DESANTIS, IN TERMS OF AN EMPLOYMENT CONTEXT THAT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT THING THAN VACCINE PASSPORTS.

BUT OF COURSE, NOW A FEW MONTHS LATER, THE DESANTIS ADMINISTRATION [INAUDIBLE] ARE SAYING, YES, THIS DOES APPLY TO VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS FOR EMPLOYERS.

NOW, AGAIN, IN TERMS OF WHO THIS APPLIES TO, YOU'RE NOT SEEING DESANTIS, FOR EXAMPLE, SAY ANYTHING OR DO ANYTHING ABOUT SAY DISNEY CRUISE LINES, WHICH IS REQUIRING A VACCINATION PASSPORT.

DISNEY WORLD ITSELF REQUIRES VACCINES FOR ITS EMPLOYEES.

SO THESE LARGE, HUGE EMPLOYERS, THESE BIG EMPLOYERS ARE NOT GETTING ANY THREATS FROM THE DESANTIS ADMINISTRATION, BUT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE.

AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU HEARD JERRY DEMINGS THERE, MAYOR DEMINGS TALK ABOUT HOW CAPRICIOUS AND ARBITRARY THIS WAS.

I THINK HE ALSO JOKED ABOUT THERE WAS A TYPO IN THERE SAYING THIS WAS THE YEAR 3021.

SO HE'S ESSENTIALLY SAYING THAT HE'S THINKS HE'LL WIN IN COURT AND HE'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.

ALL THOSE VARIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THE LAW SAYS AND DOES HE THINKS MIGHT HELP HIM IN TERMS OF SAYING THAT THIS DOESN'T ACTUALLY APPLY OR THE LAW IS BADLY WRITTEN OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.

>>YEAH.

STEVEN, BRIEFLY WE DO WANT TO FOLLOW UP.

YOU DID MENTION DISNEY JUST NOW.

THERE ARE NOW CALLS FOR SOME LAWMAKERS FOR ACTION TO STOP PRIVATE BUSINESSES FROM IMPLEMENTING VACCINE MANDATES FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES LIKE DISNEY HAS DONE.

SO LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THOSE MOVES BRIEFLY.

>>YEAH.

ANTHONY SABATINI, REPUBLICAN FROM LAKE COUNTY, HE HAS FILED A BILL CALLING FOR A SPECIAL SESSION TO PASS THE BILL THAT ESSENTIALLY WOULD ELIMINATE THE ABILITY OF ALL LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND "WOKE CORPORATIONS" FROM MANDATING VACCINES FOR EMPLOYEES OR THE PUBLIC.

SO FAR, IT'S CRICKETS FROM THE REST OF REPUBLICANS IN TALLAHASSEE.

AND IF THERE IS NO SPECIAL SESSION CALLED, WHICH THE GOVERNOR WOULD HAVE TO DO, THIS WOULD BE PUSHED OFF.

IT WOULD NOT EVEN BE HEARD UNTIL JANUARY AT THE EARLIEST.

>>VERONICA, LET'S SWITCH OVER TO YOU AND TO SCHOOLS NOW.

SEVERAL DISTRICTS ARE CONTINUING TO FLOUT THE STATE'S DEMANDS THAT THEY STOP MANDATING MASKS FOR STUDENTS.

THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WILL NOW MEET NEXT WEEK TO DISCUSS PUNISHMENT.

SO WHERE ARE WE IN THAT FIGHT?

AND HAS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT STEPPED IN AS IT HAD PROMISED?

>>THAT'S RIGHT.

SO THERE ARE ROUGHLY ABOUT A DOZEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT HAVE BUCKED THE EFFORTS BY GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS AND STATE EDUCATION OFFICIALS TO PREVENT MASK MANDATES FOR STUDENTS.

AND THAT STATE ORDER REMAINS IN PLACE WHILE IT MOVES THROUGH AN APPEALS COURT.

AND OCTOBER 7TH, THERE WILL BE A MEETING WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THESE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT INCLUDE ORANGE, MIAMI-DADE, BROWARD, ALACHUA, SARASOTA.

AND THEY'RE GOING TO DISCUSS THE PUNISHMENT AND GO OVER WHAT THEY HAVE IN PLACE.

A NUMBER OF THESE DISTRICTS HAVE REQUIRED PARENTS TO DOCUMENT MEDICAL REASONS WHY THEIR CHILDREN WOULD BE EXEMPTED FROM A MASK REQUIREMENT.

AND MEANWHILE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS PROMISED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR ALACHUA AND BROWARD COUNTIES.

THE STATE HAD DECIDED IN AUGUST FOR EACH BOARD MEMBER THAT VOTED AGAINST THE STATE'S POLICY, THE STATE WOULD WITHHOLD THAT SALARY FOR EACH ONE.

AND SO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO SEND THAT MONEY FOR THOSE COUNTIES.

THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHERE THINGS STAND AT THIS POINT.

>>AND WE'LL BE WATCHING, OF COURSE, TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.

AND WE WANT TO REMIND YOU, YOU CAN JOIN THIS DISCUSSION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

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

ALL RIGHT, NEXT TONIGHT CENTRAL FLORIDA STATE REPRESENTATIVE WEBSTER BARNABY HAS FILED AN ANTI-ABORTION BILL THAT WOULD BAN THE PROCEDURE AFTER A FETUS DEVELOPS A HEARTBEAT.

THIS COMES AS REPUBLICANS IN TALLAHASSEE PREPARE TO TACKLE THE ISSUE FOLLOWING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF RESTRICTIONS IN TEXAS WHERE ABORTIONS ARE NOW BANNED AFTER SIX WEEKS OF PREGNANCY.

>>WE'RE NOT GOING TO FOLLOW TEXAS'S LEAD NECESSARILY.

WE'LL FOLLOW OUR OWN LEAD AND, AGAIN, HEAR FROM ALL SIDES, HAVE A REAL DEEP CONVERSATION ABOUT THE BALANCING OF INTEREST ON BOTH SIDES, AND LAND IN A PLACE THAT I HOPE MOVES US IN A DIRECTION TOWARDS THE PRO-LIFE POSITION.

>>SO MEANWHILE, THE SUPREME COURT IS BEING ASKED TO OVERTURN ROE VERSUS WADE AS PART OF A CASE IT WILL HEAR IN DECEMBER ON MISSISSIPPI'S LAW, WHICH BANS ABORTION AFTER 24 WEEKS.

FLORIDA STATE DEMOCRATS SAY THEY WILL FIGHT MOVES HERE TO IMPOSE SIMILAR RESTRICTIONS.

>>ANY NEW BAN OR NEW RESTRICTION ON ABORTION IS INAPPROPRIATE TO ME BECAUSE WE ALREADY ARE LOOKING AT A COUNTRY WHERE ACCESS TO REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ARE LIMITED BASED ON WHERE YOU LIVE, BASED ON HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE.

AND ANY TYPE OF ABORTION BAN IS SETTING A TICKING TIME CLOCK ON SOMEONE WHO IS NAVIGATING POTENTIALLY COMPLICATIONS WITH THEIR PREGNANCY.

THEY MIGHT NOT KNOW THEY ARE PREGNANT.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ARE NOT IN HER SHOES TO DICTATE WHEN OR HOW SHE SHOULD MAKE A DECISION ABOUT HER PREGNANCY.

AND RIGHT NOW, IN FLORIDA, WE ALREADY HAVE WHAT'S CALLED A VIABILITY BAN.

THERE ALREADY ARE RESTRICTIONS IN FLORIDA WHEN IT COMES TO TERMINATING A PREGNANCY AND WE DON'T NEED MORE.

>>AND WE WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WE INVITED REPRESENTATIVE WEBSTER BARNABY TO DISCUSS HIS BILL ON NEWSNIGHT, BUT WE DID NOT GET A RESPONSE.

SO VERONICA, LET'S START WITH YOU.

MANY ABORTION PROVIDERS HAVE STOPPED OFFERING THIS PROCEDURE IN TEXAS.

ARE PROVIDERS HERE IN FLORIDA CONCERNED?

>>YES, THEY'RE DEFINITELY CONCERNED.

THERE ARE MARCHES HAPPENING AS SOON AS THIS WEEK IN PROTESTS WITH DOZENS OF GROUPS, INCLUDING PLANNED PARENTHOOD, ACLU.

THE SEMINOLE TRIBE IS GOING TO BE PARTICIPATING IN ONE OF THESE EVENTS HERE IN SOUTH FLORIDA.

AND THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION STARTS IN JANUARY.

AND THERE IS CONCERN THAT THIS BILL WOULD MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE IT'S ALSO, ABORTION HAS BECOME OR WILL BE A POLITICAL ISSUE IN 2022 IN BOTH SIDES.

SO PROVIDERS ARE CAREFULLY WATCHING HOW THIS MOVES FORWARD.

>>AND STEVE, LOOKING FORWARD NOW, WILL WHAT THE SUPREME COURT DECIDES IN DECEMBER GUIDE WHAT REPUBLICANS ARE LIKELY TO DO IN THE NEXT SESSION ON ABORTION?

AND DO WE KNOW BASED ON PAST DEBATES HOW FAR FLORIDA REPUBLICANS ARE LIKELY TO WANT TO GO?

>>YEAH.

IN THE PAST, THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF ABORTION RESTRICTIONS PASSED BY REPUBLICANS IN THE LEGISLATURE IN FLORIDA THE LAST 20 YEARS.

NEVER QUITE GOT TO ANYTHING THIS POINT IN TERMS OF LIKE A HEARTBEAT BILL.

SOMETHING SIMILAR TO TEXAS, EXCEPT FOR THE WHOLE CIVIL SORT OF BOUNTY THING, WAS SORT OF INTRODUCED A FEW TIMES IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, BUT NEVER QUITE REACHED A HEARING IN TERMS OF AN ACTUAL HEARTBEAT SIX WEEKS BILL.

>>WHAT THE SUPREME COURT HEARS IN DECEMBER, THERE'LL PROBABLY NOT BE A DECISION ON THAT UNTIL THE SPRING.

SO IT WON'T BE SOON ENOUGH FOR REPUBLICANS TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO.

THEY MAY DECIDE TO WAIT AROUND, NOT MAKE ANY DANGEROUS VOTES AND JUST SEE IF THE SUPREME COURT WILL END ROE V. WADE FOR THEM.

IT'S QUITE POSSIBLE.

THEN THEY CAN JUST THROW THEIR HANDS UP AND SAY, WELL, THAT'S THE RULE OF THE COUNTRY, YOU DON'T KNOW?

AND ALSO, THE TEXAS LAW THAT ESSENTIALLY CREATES BOUNTIES OF BEGINNING AT $10,000 BY PRIVATE CITIZENS TO SUE PEOPLE WHO ARE PROVIDING ABORTIONS IS VERY, VERY CONTROVERSIAL AND IS ALREADY SORT OF BECOMING, YOU'RE SEEING A LOT OF BACKLASH OF THAT IN TEXAS.

SO IT'S ALSO QUITE POSSIBLE THAT FLORIDA REPUBLICANS MIGHT WANT TO HOLD OFF ON THAT AS WELL.

>>YEAH.

AND OF COURSE, MUCH MORE TO DISCUSS HERE.

WE WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU CAN SEE MORE OF OUR INTERVIEW WITH REPRESENTATIVE ANNA ESKAMANI ON OUR WEBSITE.

THERE YOU'LL ALSO FIND OUR DISCUSSION ON THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF DISNEY WORLD, WHICH WAS THIS WEEK.

IT'S ALL AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

AND I WANT TO THANK OUR GUESTS THIS WEEK, STEVE LEMONGELLO FROM THE ORLANDO SENTINEL AND VERONICA ZARAGOVIA FROM WLRN.

THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR RETURNING TO THE SHOW THIS WEEK.

WE APPRECIATE YOU.

>>AND NEXT TONIGHT, THE FINAL PART IN OUR NEWSNIGHT CONVERSATION SERIES, SPEAKING UP CHALLENGES AND CHANGES.

THE CENTRAL FLORIDA FOUNDATION THROUGH ITS TABLE TALK CONVERSATIONS INITIATIVE IS DISCOVERING THE ISSUES THAT CENTRAL FLORIDIANS FIND MOST IMPORTANT IN OUR COMMUNITY.

ONE OF THOSE ISSUES, TRANSPORTATION.

AT A GATHERING HELD BY THE ORLANDO ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP THIS WEEK, ORANGE COUNTY MAYOR JERRY DEMINGS RENEWED HIS PUSH FOR A SALES TAX HIKE TO PAY FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR REGION'S TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.

MY COLLEAGUE, STEVE MORT, HAS THE DISCUSSION.

>>THANK YOU, NANCY.

WELL, FOR THOSE OF US WHO COMMUTE OR OTHERWISE NEED TO GET AROUND OUR SPRAWLING REGION, A LACK OF RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE IS OFTEN APPARENT.

EVEN THE URBAN DESIGN OF OUR COMMUNITY IS BUILT POST-WAR TO ACCOMMODATE THE GROWTH IN POPULARITY THE AUTOMOBILE, MAKE THEM TRAFFIC CLOGGED, AND MISSING ALTERNATE TRANSIT OPTIONS.

AFTER HOUSING, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS RANKED SECOND AS THE ISSUE PEOPLE HERE ARE MOST UNHAPPY WITH IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

IN FACT, MORE THAN HALF SAID THEY WERE DISSATISFIED.

SO I ASKED ORANGE COUNTY MAYOR JERRY DEMINGS ABOUT HIS PLANS FOR TRANSPORTATION, INCLUDING HIS PROPOSAL FOR A SALES TAX TO PAY FOR IMPROVEMENTS.

>>FOR DECADES, WE HAVE FAILED TO REALLY ADEQUATELY ADDRESS THE TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE.

THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN ADEQUATELY ADDRESS IT IS THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE RELIABLE, FREQUENT, WELL-CONNECTED OPTIONS FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO TAKE AS THEY COMMUTE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO OR SHOULD NOT CONTINUE TO BUILD ROADS AS THE ONLY SOLUTION.

IF WE DO NOTHING BUT TAKE INDIVIDUALS OUT OF ONE SINGULAR AUTOMOBILE AND PUT THEM IN ANOTHER AUTOMOBILE, THAT IS NOT THE SOLUTION.

WE NEED MASS TRANSIT.

WE NEED MASS TRANSIT OPTIONS.

AND SO COMMUTER RAIL, LIGHT RAIL, AND BETTER PLANNING WHERE PEOPLE'S HOMES ARE LOCATED CLOSER TO WHERE THEY WORK WILL ALLOW US TO CUT DOWN ON THAT COMMUTE TO AND FROM WORK.

>>ALL RIGHT.

WELL, JOINING US TO DISCUSS THE VARIOUS TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES AND CHANGES HAPPENING HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, RACQUEL ASA OF BEEP, AN AUTONOMOUS MOBILITY SERVICE, DAVID MORAN, CO-FOUNDER OF OMNIMODAL, A COMPANY THAT WORKS ON TRANSPORTATION STRATEGIES FOR CITIES, AND THEO WEBSTER, CHAIR OF THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US.

REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

THEO, LET ME START WITH YOU.

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE MAIN TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES WE FACE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA IN BROAD TERMS?

>>WELL, I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF TRAFFIC CONGESTION AND WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GO TO THE BUS OR TRAIN SERVICE, RAIL SERVICE BECAUSE IT DOESN'T RUN FREQUENTLY ENOUGH.

IT DOESN'T RUN LATE ENOUGH IN THE EVENING.

IT DOESN'T RUN ON THE WEEKENDS.

SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO THE THEATER OR SOMETHING, YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO TAKE A BUS OR A TRAIN TO THE THEATER OR ANYWHERE ELSE YOU MIGHT BE GOING.

IT'S ALSO DIFFICULT AND VERY LENGTHY FOR MANY PEOPLE TO GET TO WORK.

WE HAVEN'T IMPROVED OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM IN QUITE SOME TIME.

WE PROBABLY STILL HAVE ABOUT THE SAME NUMBER OF BUSES THAT WE HAD 25 OR 30 YEARS AGO.

SO THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE COULD BE DOING IN TRANSIT I BELIEVE IS ONE OF THE ANSWERS.

>>YEAH.

DAVID, I MEAN WHAT DO YOU THINK?

I MEAN, STUDIES CONSISTENTLY FIND THE ORLANDO AREA IS ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS CITIES IN AMERICA FOR CYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS, FOR EXAMPLE.

DOES THE NATURE OF OUR POST-WAR DEVELOPMENT, AS I MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING AND OUR SORT OF URBAN DESIGN, MAKE TRANSIT PLANNING PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT IN A CITY LIKE ORLANDO?

>>ABSOLUTELY.

I ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE A CAR.

AND IT'S AMAZING HOW MUCH YOU REALIZE WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE A CAR HOW THE COMMUNITY'S NOT DESIGNED FOR YOU.

JUST THE SCALE OF HOW EVERYTHING'S DESIGNED TO MOVE CARS FASTER ALONG SIX-LANE STREETS, WHICH ARE MORE LIKE INTERSTATES, IS REALLY CHALLENGING.

AND I THINK THAT COUPLED WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHERE YOU'RE OFTEN FINDING PEOPLE HAVING TO LIVE FURTHER OUT ON THE MARGINS, AWAY FROM LYNX CENTRAL STATION, AWAY FROM THE SUNRAIL STATION, OFTEN IN APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT ARE LOCATED ON THESE MAJOR 60-MILE OR 50-MILE-HOUR ROADS THAT ARE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO CROSS SAFELY BY FOOT OR BICYCLE.

>>YEAH.

WELL, LET'S FOCUS IN ON THE PUBLIC TRANSIT PART OF THIS A BIT.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT RAIL IN A MOMENT, BUT RACQUEL LET'S START WITH BUSES.

MAYORS DYER AND DEMINGS HAVE BOTH EXPRESSED OPTIMISM ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR BUSES, ESPECIALLY AUTONOMOUS OPTIONS IN SORT OF DOWNTOWN, FOR EXAMPLE.

HOW IS YOUR AUTONOMOUS SERVICE FARING SO FAR IN LAKE NONA, AND WHAT ARE WE LEARNING FROM THAT EXPERIENCE?

>>YEAH, I'M GLAD THAT YOU ASKED THAT BECAUSE ACTUALLY IN LAKE NONA, WE STARTED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO.

WE ACTUALLY HAD OUR TWO-YEAR ANNIVERSARY THIS PAST WEEKEND, AND WE HAVE SINCE ESTABLISHED THE LARGEST AND LONGEST AUTONOMOUS SHUTTLE NETWORK IN THE COUNTRY AT ONE SITE.

AND THAT CONSISTS OF FIVE ROUTES, EIGHT AUTONOMOUS SHUTTLES WORKING AND MOVING WITHIN THE 17 SQUARE MILE DEVELOPMENT.

AND ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE THINGS IS THAT OUR NETWORK THAT WE HAVE DEVELOPED ACTUALLY CONNECTS TO THE EXISTING PUBLIC TRANSIT NETWORK THAT LYNX CURRENTLY PROVIDES FOR THAT LAKE NONA AREA RIGHT AT NEMOURS.

SO YOU HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY AND THE ABILITY TO MOVE WITHIN LAKE NONA, COME OFF OF ONE OF OUR SHUTTLES, AND THEN CONNECT TO LYNX, WHICH THEN GETS YOU ACCESS TO SUNRAIL, WHICH IS GREATER CONNECTIVITY, THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION NETWORK, AND ALSO ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

AND IT REALLY BRINGS UP A GOOD POINT IN THAT WE REALLY NEED TO START THINKING ABOUT NOT JUST CREATING OPTIONS, BUT CREATING OPTIONS THAT CONNECT TO ONE ANOTHER AND, QUITE FRANKLY, THINGS THAT PEOPLE WILL USE.

AND I THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY THE NEXT ITERATION AS WE LOOK AT GOING BEYOND BUILDING ROADS AND LOOKING AT RAIL AND COMMUTER AND OTHER MODES OF TRANSPORTATION, CREATING A NETWORK THAT REALLY WORKS WITH EACH OTHER AND JIVES WITH EACH OTHER IS, QUITE FRANKLY, GOING TO BE WHAT CREATES A SUCCESSFUL TRANSPORTATION NETWORK, WHETHER IT'S TRADITIONAL, WHETHER IT'S YOUR CAR, OR IT'S ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION, SUCH AS THAT IT'S ON A SHUTTLE WORKING ALONGSIDE COMMUTER RAIL, BRIGHTLINE AS WELL, AND ALSO THE EXISTING TRANSIT NETWORK.

>>YEAH.

I DEFINITELY WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW THESE SYSTEMS WORK TOGETHER.

BUT DAVID, I MEAN LYNX AND METROPLAN ORLANDO FUNDED A STUDY OF AUTONOMOUS BUSES TO SEE HOW THEY MIGHT WORK IN OTHER PARTS OF THE METRO AREA.

HOW DO YOU SEE AUTOMATION FITTING INTO A BUS RAPID TRANSIT MODEL AREA WIDE?

>>THE CHALLENGE WHETHER WE AUTOMATE OR WHATEVER WE DO IS JUST IS IT AFFORDABLE?

ARE WE SERVING EXISTING TRANSIT RIDERS?

MANY PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, THAT WORK SECOND AND THIRD SHIFT THAT OFTEN HAVE TO TAKE TWO BUSES TO GET WHERE THEY'RE TRYING TO GO, HOW ARE WE ENSURING THAT THEY'RE FRONT AND CENTER IN THE INVESTMENT THAT WE'RE DOING TO IMPROVE THIS INTEGRATION?

AND THE FINAL THING I WOULD ADD IS THAT DATA INTEGRATION IS GOING TO BE SO IMPORTANT IN ALL OF THIS BECAUSE YOU HAVE, MOST PEOPLE IF YOU GET ON A BUS OR A TRAIN, YOU'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT WHO'S RUNNING IT, WHO'S OPERATING IT.

JUST LIKE IF YOU GO THROUGH THE INTERSECTION OF TWO ROADS, YOU'RE NOT THINKING THE COUNTY OWNS ONE ROAD AND THE STATE OWNS THE OTHER.

SO DATA IS A WAY TO GET ALL OF THESE SYSTEMS TO WORK TOGETHER SO THAT THEIR INFORMATION, EVEN THEIR FARE PAYMENT IS SEAMLESSLY ACCESSIBLE ON YOUR PHONE OR AT A DIGITAL SIGNAGE KIOSK.

AND THE WAY THAT WE DO THAT IS ADOPTING MOBILITY DATA STANDARDS.

>>YEAH.

YOU MENTIONED THE COST PART OF THIS PUZZLE.

I MEAN, IS BUS RAPID TRANSIT A GOOD WAY TO GO DO YOU THINK, THEO, FOR THAT REASON, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUILD RAILWAY LINES, FOR EXAMPLE?

COULD IT BE A SORT OF A QUICKER OPTION DO YOU THINK FOR DEVELOPING A TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE IN A MORE MEDIUM TERM?

>>I THINK BUS RAPID TRANSIT IS THE MORE IMMEDIATE ANSWER BOTH FINANCIALLY AND IN OUR ABILITY TO DEVELOP IT MORE QUICKLY.

RAIL IS A MUCH MORE LONG-TERM PROJECT.

WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT RAIL, EXCUSE ME, BUS RAPID TRANSIT ALONG 436 TO THE AIRPORT.

WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET MORE CONNECTIONS TO THE AIRPORT.

AND I THINK ALSO WITH BRIGHTLINE THAT'S COMING IN AND THERE'S THIS CONTROVERSY ABOUT WHICH ROUTE TO TAKE.

BUT BUS RAPID TRANSIT IS THE ANSWER IN MANY OF THOSE CASES TO GET US INTERNALLY WITHIN CENTRAL FLORIDA TO THE PLACES THAT WE NEED TO GO.

AND IT CAN BE DONE MORE QUICKLY THAN RAIL.

>>DAVID, LET'S DISCUSS ROADS, SHALL WE?

WE REALLY HAVE TO.

THE I-4 ULTIMATE PROJECT IS PRETTY NEAR COMPLETION.

THOSE EXPRESS LANES ARE DUE TO BE OPEN NEXT YEAR.

DO YOU THINK IT'LL REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO OUR TRANSPORTATION PUZZLE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA?

I'M ALWAYS STRUCK EVERY TIME I DRIVE TO MIAMI ABOUT HOW I SPEND TIME STUCK IN TRAFFIC IN THOSE EXPRESS LANES THAT I'VE PAID MONEY TO ENTER.

>>THE MISSED OPPORTUNITY FOR ME WITH I-4 ULTIMATE IS THAT I DON'T SEE A RIGHT OF WAY FOR BUS RAPID TRANSIT OR EVEN FOR RAIL THAT CAN GO ALONG WITH THE CONSTRUCTION.

SO THAT IS DEFINITELY DISAPPOINTING.

SO MY FANTASY IS THAT THOSE EXPRESS LANES ACTUALLY EVENTUALLY GET SURRENDERED OR RETOOLED TO BECOME TRANSIT-FOCUSED VERSUS EXPRESS LANES.

NOW WHETHER THAT HAPPENS OR NOT.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE METROPLAN BUDGET OR IF YOU LOOK AT HOW MUCH MONEY WE'RE ACTUALLY SPENDING, ROADS GET THE MAJORITY OF THE FUNDING.

SO UNTIL WE REALLY PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE IN TRANSIT INVESTMENT OR REALLY SUPPORTING THE TYPES OF INTEGRATIONS WITH AMAZING SERVICES LIKE BEEP.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO, I THINK, GET A LITTLE BIT MORE UNCOMFORTABLE AND HAVE SOME POLITICAL COURAGE, NOT JUST AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, BUT AS RESIDENTS WE HAVE TO BE WILLING TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT?

I'M OKAY WITH MY COMMUTE BEING A LITTLE BIT LONGER SO THAT I'M REDUCING MY CARBON FOOTPRINT AND MORE PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO GET PLACES VERSUS EVERYBODY GETTING IN THEIR OWN CAR BY THEMSELVES AND JUST SITTING IN TRAFFIC ALL DAY LONG.

THERE'S A REALLY FUN FANTASY MAP ON TWITTER OR REDDIT IMAGINING WHAT SUNRAIL COULD LOOK LIKE IF IT ACTUALLY SERVICED THE WHOLE REGION, WHICH INCLUDES AN EAST-WEST CONNECTOR, INCLUDES GOING TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT PARTS OF CENTRAL FLORIDA BEYOND ITS CURRENT SERVICE.

BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE IN ORLANDO DON'T FEEL LIKE SUNRAIL IS FOR THEM.

IT'S NOT IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND THE BUS IS NOT RELIABLE ENOUGH TO FEEL LIKE IT'S A MEANINGFUL CONNECTION TO GET TO SUNRAIL.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE, I THINK, WITH EXPANDING THE COMMUTER RAIL SYSTEM.

AND YOU'LL OFTEN HEAR PEOPLE SAY THAT WE NEED LIGHT RAIL BECAUSE COMMUTER RAILS CAN ONLY GO SO FREQUENT AND SO FAST.

WE'RE GOING TO NEED OTHER TYPES OF RAIL SERVICES ALONGSIDE SUNRAIL.

>>WELL, THEO, WHAT DO YOU RECKON?

I MEAN, SUNRAIL IS WORKING ON A 11 AND A HALF MILE EXPANSION TO LAND.

IT'S ALSO LOOKING AT A SHARED STRETCH OF LINE WITH BRIGHTLINE TO OIA THAT RAQUEL HAD MENTIONED.

BUT IS THAT ENOUGH FOR AN URBAN RAIL SYSTEM?

DOES SUNRAIL NEED TO BE EXPANDED TO REACH OTHER MAJOR DESTINATIONS SUCH AS UCF WHERE TRAFFIC IS OFTEN A PROBLEM?

>>IT'S A MORE EXPENSIVE OPTION.

AND AS DAVID SAID, CHOICE RIDERS AREN'T GOING TO TAKE RAIL UNTIL IT'S MORE FREQUENT, UNTIL IT'S OFFERED IN THE EVENINGS.

I MEAN, YOU CAN'T GO TO THE THEATER NOW AND GET HOME IF YOU TOOK SUNRAIL TO GET THERE.

SO THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS, INCLUDING GETTING PEOPLE TO WORK, HOUSING, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, HOUSING DEVELOPS AROUND RAIL HUBS, THE CONNECTION BETWEEN SUNRAIL AND BRIGHTLINE.

ALL OF THOSE ARE NEEDED, BUT DEFINITELY EXPANSION OF WHERE SUNRAIL IS.

BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE MORE TIME-CONSUMING AND FINANCIALLY WILL TAKE MORE DOLLARS.

>>WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT SORT OF CORPORATE AND INSTITUTIONALIZED RESPONSIBILITY HERE.

SHOULD ORGANIZATIONS THAT GENERATE A LOT OF TRAFFIC, SUCH AS UCF OR DISNEY OR UNIVERSAL, SHOULD THEY PLAY A GREATER ROLE IN SOLVING OUR TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS?

SHOULD THIS ALL BE UP TO POLICYMAKERS, OR SHOULD THAT PART OF OUR COMMUNITY STEP IN SOMETIMES?

>>I DEFINITELY THINK THE PRIVATE SECTOR HAS A ROLE HERE WITH CORPORATIONS WHO HAVE DOLLARS AND EMPLOY A LOT OF OUR PEOPLE, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO TALK TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT THEY EMPLOY.

>>YEAH.

I MEAN, RACQUEL, THEO RAISES AN IMPORTANT ISSUE THERE, RIGHT?

WELL, THAT'S ONE OF SORT OF TRANSPORT EQUITY.

I MEAN, COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN OUR REGION DO SEEM TO BE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY A LACK OF ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSIT, RIGHT?

>>RIGHT.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THOSE WHO TRULY NEED IT, IT'S THE ONES WHO HAVE SOMEWHAT OF A SOCIOECONOMIC FACTOR WHO NEED PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT GIVING THEM GREATER ACCESS TO OTHER PARTS OF THE NETWORK, THAT'S REALLY WHERE, I THINK, FIRST MILE/LAST MILE SOLUTIONS ARE CRITICAL.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHETHER IT'S PRIVATE SECTOR OR PUBLIC SECTOR BY A MEANS OF PROVIDING THAT MEANS OF CONNECTIVITY, IT'S QUITE FRANKLY A SOLUTION ALL OF US NEED TO TAKE A PIECE OF THAT PIE.

AND THE SAYING GOES, HOW DO YOU EAT A ELEPHANT?

ONE BITE AT A TIME.

AND I THINK IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, MAYOR JERRY DEMING'S APPROACH TO REIGNITING THIS INFRASTRUCTURE SALES TAX IS DEFINITELY THE FIRST STEP AND A NEEDED STEP TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO ENHANCE THE MOBILITY WITHIN THIS AREA, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO NEED THAT MODE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

>>WELL, IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT ISSUE, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR INSIGHT ON THIS ISSUE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

RACQUEL ASA OF BEEP, AN AUTONOMOUS MOBILITY SERVICE, DAVID MORAN, CO-FOUNDER OF OMNIMODAL, AND ALSO THEO WEBSTER, CHAIR OF THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US.

>>AND IF YOU'D LIKE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT GETTING INVOLVED IN THIS YEAR'S TABLE TALK CONVERSATIONS, JUST VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WUCF.ORG/CONVERSATIONS.

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

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

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT, HAVE A GOOD AND SAFE WEEKEND AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.