NU Online News Service, July 8, 10:22 a.m.EDT

The Texas Legislature has voted to reauthorize the operations ofthe Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) during a special sessionlast week called by Gov. Rick Perry.

The legislature failed to pass the reauthorization during theirregular session that adjourned on June 1, and TDI was poised tobecome a victim, stuck in the mire of partisan politics.

Under Texas' Sunset Law, if the legislature fails to fund adepartment, it can continue to operate until Sept. 1 and would thenbe allotted a year to wind down its operations.

Gov. Perry, who praised the legislature for the work that it didfinish, decided there was enough unfinished work to call a specialsession which can be called any time 30 days after the regularsession ended.

"Lawmakers enthusiastically supported the continuation ofimportant consumer protections along with balanced insuranceregulatory policy. This year's TDI extension legislation preservedboth a rating system that fosters a healthy insurance market andimportant underwriting tools to promote competition in the stateinsurance market and deliver savings to policyholders," said JoeWoods, assistant president and regional manager.