They are uncontested pieces of legislation that seemingly pass without much consideration. But the lawmakers, staff and various groups who have a hand in local and uncontested bills say the measures are "well vetted."

In this edition of the Newsreel: Will lawmakers finish the budget? Will the governor call for a special session? And when this is over, who will be running for office in 2014?

In the latest Texas Weekly Newsreel: With less than three weeks left in the legislative session, the deadlines are coming fast and furious, raising the stakes and prompting whispers of a special session if things don't get finished. 

In the latest Newsreel: The House fights over whether and how to tap the Rainy Day Fund, lawmakers hold hearings on the explosion in West and Gov. Rick Perry says there is plenty of time left in this session to get things done.

Just like a baseball player's "walk-up" song, Gov. Rick Perry emerged from the dugout at the National Rifle Association's 2013 annual meeting after this video of him laying waste to a perfectly good farm egg and some other targets.

A dozen officials from six different state agencies came before the House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee on Wednesday to reflect on what worked and what didn't in the West fertilizer plant explosion. 

In this edition of the Newsreel: The conversation in West turns to regulation, the Senate wants to ask voters to use Rainy Day Fund money, the House undoes the state lottery and then puts it back together, and some Texas prosecutors are in hot water.

At a memorial service Thursday honoring victims of the West fertilizer plant explosion, President Obama told survivors that they are not alone. "We're neighbors, too. We're American, too. We stand with you, and we do not forget," he said.

After an unexpected debate that spanned two days, House members passed House Bill 2197 - to continue the Texas Lottery Commission  — with a key provision that could ultimately lead to its demise.

In this edition of the Newsreel: A Senate committee approves an education bill cutting some current requirements for high school diplomas, the House wants to make texting and driving a crime, and the governor calls for tax cuts.

This week in the Newsreel: An effort to legalize casinos is under way in the Texas Senate, Attorney General Greg Abbott wants a redistricting bill, and some lawmakers want to give drug tests to recipients of unemployment and TANF benefits. 

Gov. Rick Perry called on dedicating future growth in the state’s motor vehicle sales taxes to be used to pay for road projects.

Here's the full video of Gov. Rick Perry's keynote address on transportation at The Texas Lyceum's public conference.

UPDATED: The Texas Senate voted unanimously Wednesday to pass Senate Bill 11, which would require applicants to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program to pass a drug test to receive benefits.

UPDATED: The Texas Senate voted unanimously Wednesday to pass Senate Bill 11, which would require applicants to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program to pass a drug test to receive benefits.