With less than two weeks before the end of the 83rd legislative session, efforts to find more funding for the Texas Department of Transportation are sputtering.

For this week's nonscientific survey of insiders in government and politics, we asked about the likelihood of special sessions, the issues that might force them and whether there will be multiple such sessions.

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. 

The betting here is that state finance is the closing drama of the session and that in spite of the sharper debates here at the end, that everybody goes home singing Kumbaya.

On the latest Agenda Texas, from KUT News and the Tribune: Water, transportation and education were priorities at the beginning of this year's legislative session, but how much progress has been made on each?

The legislative session is in its last month and most bills will die. But setbacks for the big stuff — water, transportation and the like — are usually temporary.

The best way to finance Texas' pressing water and transportation needs — and to supplement spending on public education — is to let voters decide whether to use the state's Rainy Day Fund.

Two years ago, lawmakers couldn't find the money they needed to run the government they had promised their voters. Now they have the money — and a completely different set of political problems. 

Efforts by state lawmakers to find money to repair South and West Texas roads torn up amid a drilling boom appear to be stalling, according to some officials working on the matter. Officials warn about the hazards of not maintaining these roads.

In the midst of a battle among lawmakers over a bill to ban texting while driving, a new report by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute suggests that voice-to-text technology is no safer than typing out a text message.

On the latest Agenda Texas, from KUT News and the Tribune: Texas lawmakers are poised to spend billions out of the state's Rainy Day Fund, but some say tapping the fund will lower the state's bond rating. So what's the truth?

UPDATED: A bill that would make texting while driving a crime passed the House on Wednesday after a lengthy debate. The measure now heads to the Senate.

The full Texas Senate will consider a plan to spend about half of the projected $11.8 billion balance in the state's Rainy Day Fund for transportation and water projects, though Democrats plan to push for money for schools as well.

The CEO of Tesla Motors on his efforts to sell cars directly to Texans, the state's business-friendly reputation and SpaceX's plans to build an orbital launch facility near Brownsville.

With less than two months left in the legislative session, some lawmakers are lowering expectations on what can get done related to funding for roads. 

Full video of Aman Batheja's 4/4 TribLive conversation with state Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, and state Rep. Larry Phillips, R-Sherman. 

At Thursday's TribLive conversation, state Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, and state Rep. Larry Phillips, R-Sherman, talked about whether Texans are having “toll road fatigue” and the impact that toll roads are having on traffic congestion.

Gov. Rick Perry and the Texas Department of Transportation are arranging to temporarily fund air traffic control towers slated to close next month at 13 Texas airports due to federal budget cuts related to the sequester.