TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A Florida Senate panel discussed the state's checkered COVID-19 vaccine distribution rollout Tuesday, with one lawmaker calling for the National Guard to play a greater roll in accelerating the pace of vaccinations.

Originally scheduled to take testimony from State Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz, the Senate Military and Veterans Affairs, Space and Domestic Security Committee instead heard from Moskowitz's deputy, State Emergency Response Team Director Kevin Guthrie.

Guthrie told the committee that 1,300 Florida National Guard members were assisting with vaccine distribution efforts. After the hearing, however, Sen. Victor Torres (D-Kissimmee) expressed skepticism that the Guard was being used to its fullest potential.

"I'm sure we have many, many doctors and many, many doctors that we can use who are part of the National Guard who can be used to supplement what the Department of Health and the hospitals and other venues that are providing the vaccines (have)," Torres said in an interview.

According to the federal government, less than a third of the vaccine vials the state has received have actually been administered. More disturbing to Torres and other lawmakers, just 10% of Florida's 4.4 million seniors have been vaccinated.

"You've seen the reaction from seniors throughout the state where they camp all night to get vaccinated in a different county. We're not doing such a terrific job under this governor," Torres said, referring to Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican. "I throw it on his shoulders - he's the governor."

Other Democrats, though, were more circumspect about the unprecedented logistical challenges facing the DeSantis administration.

"I know this is the beginning and this is just a bump, and I understand that it's not quite as easy as we think to roll out all of these vaccines when they have to be administered by a licensed nurse, so therein lies the problem," said Sen. Janet Cruz (D-Tampa).

In an interview with Spectrum News two weeks ago, Moskowitz expressed frustration with some hospitals and county health departments that had allowed vaccine vials to be left "sitting on the shelf" instead of being injected into patients' arms.

"I've directed my team to prepare a much more aggressive effort, with more federal involvement and leadership to get things back on track," he said at the time.

Despite the initial challenges, the state's timetable for vaccinating the general public - vaccinations are currently available only for Floridians at least 65 years old and front-line health care workers - continues to hold: shots are on track to be administered beginning in March.