Teed-off

Sunrise

The latest COVID-19 casualty count from the Florida Department of Health: more than 5,500 new cases and 70 additional fatalities. The state’s death toll has reached 34,434. Almost one in 10 people in Florida have now been infected by the coronavirus and one in 63 have died.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— Gov. Ron DeSantis tees off on 60 Minutes, saying their story accusing him of setting up a "pay to play" system for the COVID-19 vaccine was bogus. The Governor's outrage focused on one part of the story in an effort to make the whole thing look wrong. It was not.

— The Senate Rules Committee approves the Privacy Protection Act. Sen. Jennifer Bradley's bill would allow you to opt-out of the data collection process; business lobbyists don't like it one bit.

— A House committee approves a bill to prohibit transgender students in high school or college from playing on the women's team. The ban is now ready for the House floor.

— The Florida Department of Law Enforcement breaks up a drug ring operating out of the Tallahassee region. The ten-month investigation was called "Operation No Warning.” More arrests are expected.

— Congressman Alcee Hastings of Palm Beach County died at the age of 84 of pancreatic cancer. Fellow South Florida Congressman Ted Deutch says it was an honor to serve with him. DeSantis will soon schedule a special election to fill Hastings’ seat in the U.S. House.

— And finally, a Florida Man says his arrest for hosting a strip show at his bar was actually payback by the cops for ignoring COVID-19 safety rules.