Legislative roundup.

Days remaining in session: 15 Constitution: In a surprising unanimous vote, the Senate Rules Committee on Friday advanced a proposal for Congress to call a constitutional convention to restore “free and fair elections.”

The committee acted after a personal appeal from U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, D-Albuquerque, who’s running for governor.

Senate Joint Resolution 12 is sponsored by a senior Democrat, Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino of Albuquerque.

“A constitutional convention is very dangerous,” he told the committee. “But what we have now is even more dangerous.”

The resolution is still a long way from helping to change America’s Constitution. It heads next to the Senate Judiciary Committee, and if it passes the Legislature, it still would require the approval of state voters in 2018. Then, two-thirds of states would have to pass similar measures. Only five have done so.

Some campaign finance reform advocates, such as the group Wolf PAC, have called for a constitutional convention after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 decision in Citizens United v. the Federal Elections Commission, which opened the floodgates for private money in elections.

With Republicans controlling Congress and most state legislatures, it seems unlikely that blue New Mexico would push for a constitutional convention. Some legislators and groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, have cautioned that a convention could actually undermine the U.S. Constitution.

Boosting broadband: Two bills to help expand broadband internet in the state cleared the Senate on Friday and are heading to Gov. Susana Martinez for her consideration.

House Bill 60, sponsored by Rep. Carl Trujillo, D-Santa Fe, and Sen. Jacob Candelaria, D-Albuquerque, would create a dig-once policy, allowing cities, counties and the state to keep an open trench and place conduit needed for new broadband structure.

Another measure that advanced Friday was House Bill 113, sponsored by Rep. Jim Smith, R-Sandia Park, and Sen. Daniel Ivey Soto, D-Albuquerque.

It calls on the state Department of Information Technology to leverage dollars spent on broadband by assisting tribal and local governments that want to tap into the network, thus creating more customers. Many providers will not expand service unless there is sufficient demand.

Sunday school: The House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee will take up three controversial bills on Sunday morning, including proposals to ban what are known as “late term” abortions and reinstate the death penalty.

The committee will meet at 10 a.m. in the House chambers to vote on House Bill 220, which would prohibit abortions after 20 weeks or if a fetus is considered independently viable, though the Attorney General’s Office has raised questions about how that is defined under the proposed law.

The committee also will take up House Bill 221, which would require a doctor to notify a parent or guardian before performing an abortion on an underage patient.

Proposals similar to the two bills have failed in past years and would mark a shift for New Mexico law, which has not embraced tougher restrictions on abortion even as neighboring states have tightened policies on the procedure.

The committee is scheduled to consider House Bill 72, too, which would allow for capital punishment in cases involving the murder of children or law enforcement officers.

The bill is similar to a measure the House passed during a special session last fall when Republicans controlled the chamber. But Democrats are in charge now and hold a majority on the committee.

Quote of the day: “All those in favor say ‘aye.’ All those opposed shrug.” — House Speaker Brian Egolf, D-Santa Fe, from the rostrum on Friday night.