Additional information about the proposed administrative rule change is available on the state health department's Web site, at www.rules.utah.gov/publicat/bulletin/2004/20040901/27227.htm.

Bramble said the rule change should solve what he described as not really a problem. However, another issue surfaced as a result of the debate — what to do with a woman pregnant with a fatally deformed fetus who can't afford an abortion.

He said he was close to having a draft of a bill that would allow public funds to be used for abortions in that case. Bramble said he did not know how many women fall into that category or what the cost of providing abortions for them would be.

"If a woman who has no financial resources and has no insurance," he said, "today if they were carrying a fetus that couldn't survive birth the state would be prohibited from providing funds to abort that pregnancy. That's what we're trying to address."

Bramble said he anticipates support for his latest bill from his fellow lawmakers but maybe not before the 2005 Legislature meets. That will allow more time for the always controversial issue to be debated.

"I expect there will be some folks on the more extreme side of the pro-life debate that will oppose this. But they oppose any abortions for any reason," he said. "I view myself as staunchly pro-life, but I believe there are reasonable exceptions."

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