1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education; creating a task force to 
  1.3             implement statewide insurance benefits for school 
  1.4             district employees. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [TASK FORCE ON SCHOOL EMPLOYEE INSURANCE 
  1.7   BENEFITS.] 
  1.8      (a) A task force is created to develop a plan to provide 
  1.9   statewide health and dental insurance benefits for school 
  1.10  district employees by July 2002.  The plan must provide for the 
  1.11  state to pay the employer contribution toward insurance 
  1.12  premiums.  The task force consists of: 
  1.13     (1) the commissioners of children, families, and learning; 
  1.14  employee relations; and finance, or their designees; 
  1.15     (2) representatives of school district employees, appointed 
  1.16  by the commissioner of children, families, and learning; 
  1.17     (3) representatives of school districts, appointed by the 
  1.18  commissioner of children, families, and learning; 
  1.19     (4) representatives of health and dental insurers and 
  1.20  providers, appointed by the commissioner of children, families, 
  1.21  and learning. 
  1.22     (b) The task force must recommend: 
  1.23     (1) a structure and process for bargaining the statewide 
  1.24  insurance plan with exclusive representatives of school district 
  1.25  employees; 
  2.1      (2) any changes needed in education funding laws to account 
  2.2   for state payment of health and dental insurance costs; 
  2.3      (3) any statutory changes needed in collective bargaining 
  2.4   or other laws to implement the statewide plan. 
  2.5      (c) The commissioners of children, families, and learning, 
  2.6   and employee relations must provide administrative and staff 
  2.7   support for the task force. 
  2.8      (d) The task force must present an interim report to the 
  2.9   legislature by January 15, 2001, and a final report by January 
  2.10  15, 2002.