1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education; establishing a task force to 
  1.3             examine and make recommendations about eliminating 
  1.4             violence, discrimination, intimidation, and harassment 
  1.5             against Minnesota youth.  
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [TASK FORCE ON VIOLENCE AND HARASSMENT AGAINST 
  1.8   MINNESOTA YOUTH.] 
  1.9      Subdivision 1.  [ESTABLISHMENT.] A task force to examine 
  1.10  and make recommendations to the governor and the legislature 
  1.11  about eliminating violence, discrimination, intimidation, and 
  1.12  harassment against Minnesota youth is established. 
  1.13     Subd. 2.  [TASK FORCE MEMBERSHIP; OPERATION.] (a) The 
  1.14  governor, in consultation with the commissioners of the 
  1.15  department of children, families, and learning and the 
  1.16  department of health, the speaker of the house, the majority 
  1.17  leader in the senate, and the affected interest group or 
  1.18  organization, shall appoint 26 task force members who shall 
  1.19  represent the following interests and organizations: 
  1.20     (1) students; 
  1.21     (2) parents; 
  1.22     (3) kindergarten through grade 12 regular education 
  1.23  teachers; 
  1.24     (4) kindergarten through grade 12 special education 
  1.25  teachers; 
  2.1      (5) community-based organizations serving youth; 
  2.2      (6) kindergarten through grade 12 school counselors; 
  2.3      (7) kindergarten through grade 12 social workers; 
  2.4      (8) kindergarten through grade 12 school nurses; 
  2.5      (9) kindergarten through grade 12 school administrators; 
  2.6      (10) community-based mental health organizations 
  2.7   representing both consumers and providers; 
  2.8      (11) Minnesota minority education partnership; 
  2.9      (12) Minnesota immigrant community; 
  2.10     (13) early childhood and family educators; 
  2.11     (14) public health professionals; 
  2.12     (15) childhood behavioral researchers; 
  2.13     (16) childhood health researchers; 
  2.14     (17) medical professionals; 
  2.15     (18) the Minnesota department of children, families, and 
  2.16  learning; 
  2.17     (19) the Minnesota department of health; 
  2.18     (20) the Minnesota school boards association; 
  2.19     (21) community-focused foundations; 
  2.20     (22) local faith-based entities; 
  2.21     (23) a member of the majority party and a member of the 
  2.22  minority party in the Minnesota house of representatives; and 
  2.23     (24) a member of the majority party and a member of the 
  2.24  minority party in the Minnesota senate. 
  2.25     (b) The commissioner of the department of children, 
  2.26  families, and learning must convene the task force by August 1, 
  2.27  2002.  Task force members shall select a member to chair task 
  2.28  force meetings.  Task force members shall meet periodically at 
  2.29  times indicated by the chair.  Task force members shall not 
  2.30  receive compensation.  The staff of state agencies, including 
  2.31  the department of health and the department of children, 
  2.32  families, and learning, shall assist task force members at their 
  2.33  request. 
  2.34     Subd. 3.  [DUTIES; REPORT; EXPIRATION.] (a) Task force 
  2.35  members, in preparing the report under paragraph (b), shall: 
  2.36     (1) obtain statewide information about youth's experience 
  3.1   with and the long-term effects of violence, intimidation, 
  3.2   discrimination, and harassment against youth in kindergarten 
  3.3   through grade 12 schools; 
  3.4      (2) review public policy analyses on this issue; and 
  3.5      (3) examine local, state, national, and international 
  3.6   programs and policies that successfully address this issue. 
  3.7      (b) Task force members shall prepare a report to present to 
  3.8   the governor and the legislature by February 15, 2004, that: 
  3.9      (1) documents the depth and breadth of this issue; 
  3.10     (2) describes the impact of this issue; and 
  3.11     (3) recommends changes in public policies, procedures, and 
  3.12  practices at the state and local levels to address this issue. 
  3.13     (c) The task force expires on February 16, 2004. 
  3.14     <b>[EFFECTIVE DATE.]</b> This section is effective the day 
  3.15  following final enactment and is contingent upon receipt of 
  3.16  sufficient nonstate money to fund the operating costs of the 
  3.17  task force.