Gov. Mark Dayton appointed the 15 member task force to help ensure "a healthy and nurturing school environment exists for every child in our state." The Governor says all students and parents "should have confidence that their schools are safe places for learning."

Gov. Mark Dayton's Task Force on the Prevention of Bullying is nearly finished with its anti-bullying policy recommendations, MPR reports. The final report is due on Dayton's desk next week. The state task force was assigned with examining the definition of bullying and ways to improve laws against it. Minnesota's current anti-bullying law is considered one of the weakest in the country with only 37 words. The group will hold their final meeting on Monday.

The Prevention of School Bullying Task Force recommended to state lawmakers Wednesday that the state repeals its current anti-bullying law and replace it with a stronger law to protect students from bullying, harassment and intimidation in Minnesota schools. The 15-member task force's recommendations were delivered in a report to Gov. Mark Dayton.

It comes just a week after state Attorney General Lori Swanson proposed legislation that would require school districts to set up rules when it comes to reporting cases of bullying.

The district's task force also has no students or school counselors. Instead, the Pioneer Press reports, the group has a prevention specialist, three public relations experts and a lawyer. The district has come under fire after a rash of student suicides that some blame on bullying. Critics say the district's policies do nothing to protect students from harassment.

One task force will design Minnesota's version of a health insurance exchange, which is required under the new federal health care law. The other will look more broadly at ways to cut costs and improve quality in the state's health care system.

The Rochester School Board agreed this week to pay parents who said the district failed to protect their middle school son, who was bullied in a gym locker room, the Post-Bulletin reports. The insurance company of the bully's parents also had to pay.