Rep. Trey Martinez-Fischer showed strong leadership on the House floor on Tuesday by arguing that more authority be granted to the Office of Public Insurance Council (OPIC), the agency representing consumers before the Texas Department of Insurance. Rep. Carl Isett sponsored the OPIC Sunset bill and accepted the San Antonio representative’s proposed amendments without a vote.

Claiming that the insurance committee’s handling of the TDI Sunset bill last night provided context for his actions today, Insurance Vice-Chairman Martinez-Fisher challenged the recommendations of the Sunset Commission and called for a “beefing up” of OPIC, rather than letting it roll into the TDI. “OPIC is an advocate, not a regulator. An advocate should be on equal footing with the insurance companies,” Martinez-Fischer argued. This would allow the insurance commissioner to hear both sides then “call balls and strikes.”

Earlier in the debate Rep. Craig Eiland observed that consumer advocates like OPIC should not be expected to take a neutral position in bills affecting consumers. “If they’re supposed to the watch dog, they need to start watching out for the consumer,” he said. Martinez-Fischer keyed off this and inserted language that allows OPIC to argue in favor or against legislation. The leadership of Martinez-Fischer and Eiland today will be a great benefit for consumers across Texas.