There are only three more working days left in the Legislative session. (That means lawmakers’ working days, which are irregular. The next one is Tuesday.)

Also: We’re changing the weekly review quiz from Mondays to Fridays beginning now. As always, it’s down near the bottom of this newsletter.

And if finding and affording childcare has ever been an issue for you, then you know how tricky it can be. You’ll want to listen to the podcast, where we go in depth on the topic.

So much gambling talk (but don’t bet on much action)

The Alabama Legislature Tuesday night came as close as it has for a quarter century to putting a lottery on the ballot, but there hasn’t been much movement on the issue since.

Still, it’s the big talker on Goat Hill — and well beyond. AL.com’s John Sharp reports that even Donald Trump Jr. is weighing in on the topic.

Tweeted Trump Jr.: “… whenever I ask anyone from there what’s going on in the state this is all they talk about. Why’s their senate refusing to let the people vote on a clean bill to legalize the lottery & fund education when 45 states already do it? Wouldn’t they rather keep the billions of $$$ in Alabama instead of sending it to other states? Makes no sense to me!”

He ended the tweet with an exclamation point. That’s a genetic thing. Note that he said “clean bill” but that doesn’t mean it’s lottery-only. It also includes some casinos.

One of the concerns over the legislation, according to Atmore Republican Greg Albritton, is that it did not include a fourth casino operated by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians that had been in a previous version of the package. Albritton is one of three senators who voted yes on that earlier package and switched to no on this one.

Alabama Senate President Pro Tem Greg Reed, a Jasper Republican, said there was a lot of talk and debate about the legislation Thursday. “I don’t know what the outcome will be other than membership is working on the issue,” he said.

Capitol updates

Two more items of note from the Legislature:

First, AL.com’s Mike Cason reports that the bill to adjust the deadline for political parties to certify presidential candidates has full Legislative approval and now awaits the governor’s signature. The result of Gov. Kay Ivey’s approval will be that President Biden can legally be put on the ballot even though the Democratic National Convention takes place after the original deadline. Both bodies of the Legislature passed the measure unanimously.

Similar situations have occurred in the past for both parties. It made a little splash this year when Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen notified the Democratic Party that its convention is too late for Biden to be on Alabama’s ballot.

The state spends billions and the feds spend trillions. If we start saving now, we should be able to buy everyone involved a 2028 desk calendar for the next go-round.

And another: The Alabama House of Representatives has passed the General Fund budget by a 103-0 vote. It calls for non-education government spending of $3.4 billion, which is $360 million more than the current fiscal year’s budget. That’s riding a 16% increase in applicable revenues last year.

The cost of harassment

Sexual harassment is so 1970.

I ain’t saying it’s dead, though.

AL.com’s Hannah Denham reports that Chipotle Mexican Grill’s company has to pay a $50,000 settlement in a sexual-harassment lawsuit involving a male manager and female cashier at the burrito chain’s Prattville location.

A Chipotle spokesperson said the company is not admitting wrongdoing but simply wanted to be done with the case. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission had filed suit, claiming there were daily sexual advances, comments, conduct and contact.

More Alabama News

The podcast

John Hammontree’s going to speak with AL.com’s Alaina Bookman about some reporting she’s been doing on the trouble finding and affording childcare.

If you’ve been through it, you know how tough it can be.

You can find “Down in Alabama” wherever you get your podcasts, including these places: