It also bucks the trend in recent years of municipalities and other government agencies getting away from offering insurance, pensions and other perks for what are basically part-time jobs.

The bill was sponsored by State Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea. It had originally been filed by House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Westchester on an entirely different subject.

In April Hoffman took over as sponsor and gutted the original bill, replacing it with the language referring to MESD.

“Basically, I’m very disappointed, and the people should be also,” said Madison County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler, a staunch opponent of both the bill and providing insurance to various board members.

In recent months Prenzler and others had claimed that MESD was offering insurance to its board members in violation of state law.

Prior to the adoption of the new bill, according to the MESD Act of 1974 board members were to be paid the same salaries as either St. Clair County or Madison County board members, whichever was lowest. Madison County pays approximately $14,500 per year.

“The General Assembly changed the law, to ‘make legal’ MESD giving commissioners health insurance,” Prenzler said. “I wasn’t sure the governor would sign this, but he did.”

The new law also goes against the trend, which had been especially prevalent with various board and councils in that area, to provide insurance and other benefits to elected aldermen, trustees and commissioners.

Madison County stopped the practice several years ago.

“Some years ago, Madison County stopped providing health insurance for board members, but MESD commissioners continued giving themselves health insurance, a benefit worth up to $20,000 per year, when it included spouses,” Prenzler said. “After I began complaining about this, they stopped the family benefit, but continued the benefit for the commissioner, worth about $10,000 per year.”

In addition to not complying with existing law, he said MESD commissioners “don’t do enough work” to deserve the insurance.

In the future, Prenzler said anyone he appoints to the MESD board has to promise not to take the health insurance benefit.

According to state law, Prenzler has two appointments to the MESD Board, while St. Clair County has two and the mayor of the largest community served by the district – currently Granite City, has one.

Granite City’s appointment had belonged to Madison County, but was taken away several years ago by legislation sponsored by Hoffman.