I’m having trouble wrapping my mind around the thinking in House Bill 283.

This bill would allow locally elected school board members join the health care plan their school district offers to employees at taxpayer expense.

That is problematic.

For one thing, local school board members are not full time – or even part time – school employees. In fact, an Attorney General opinion says local school board member legally cannot be an employee in the system. Board members are supposed to earn their livelihoods elsewhere in the community.

For another, the bill creates a conflict of interest problem. Board members are supposed to represent the taxpayers’ interests, but if the board members also benefit from one of the staff benefits, those board members may be tempted to unreasonably increase that benefit to the detriment of the voters.

Finally, with legislators and school people all saying that school dollars are tight, why are we making this change?

By the way, Kentucky law (KRS 160.280) apparently already allows local board members to join the district’s health care plan at the member’s own expense. Even that provision creates a conflict of interest problem and needs review.