32-2-111. Equality of rights. With the approval of the department, a building and loan association chartered pursuant to the laws of this state may exercise or possess any right, power, privilege, benefit, immunity, or exemption possessed by a federal savings and loan association doing business in this state that is now provided or that may be provided after April 29, 1981, by the laws of the United States or regulations of the federal home loan bank board. This grant is in addition to grants provided in and takes priority over any statute of this state. The department may exercise the discretion granted in this section by issuance of a special order upon written request from any state-chartered building and loan association with respect to any particular item and may grant such request upon such conditions as it shall determine are in the best interest of the members or depositors of the association and of the general public. The department shall require any state-chartered building and loan association seeking such special orders to obtain and maintain insurance of accounts acceptable to the department, excluding alien insurers.