"Obviously it's going to still be a challenge and we have our work cut out for us," Litvack said. "It wouldn't be the Utah Legislature any other way."

Republican Attorney General Mark Shurtleff is a member of a discussion group that came up with the new approach, and at least some high-profile Republicans are keeping an open mind. Litvack said he wants to meet with Senate President John Valentine and House Speaker Greg Curtis.

Valentine, R-Orem, hasn't speculated on whether he'd support the bill but has said he'd like to see the details.

And Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. has met with Litvack and "is reviewing it with great interest," according to Huntsman's spokeswoman Tammy Kikuchi.

Litvack is also still working with longtime supporters of the bill.

Forrest Crawford, Weber State University education professor who was part of the discussion group, said the new approach is not the ideal, but it provides "more of an opportunity to penalize perpetrators."

"I feel very optimistic about trying to bring together a wide array of voices and coalitions to really take a hard look at this," Crawford said.

Jeanetta Williams, president of the Salt Lake Branch NAACP, has looked at a ballot initiative, which she says she'll pursue if no hate crimes legislation passes this year.

On the new approach, she said she hasn't had time to examine it but is concerned about its enforceability. She also expressed concerns about training law enforcement officers and attorneys on how to use the bill.

"I would just like to see a good hate crimes bill pass," Williams said. "Utah has had a very good hate crimes bill. Unfortunately it has to come to making a compromise."

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E-mail: dbulkeley@desnews.com