Topeka ? Bills banning human cloning and making it a crime to destroy human embryos for research purposes won first-round approval Friday in the House.

After more than an hour of debate, the chamber advanced the two bills on voice votes. The primary sponsor said they were attempts to ensure that science respects human life while advancing at “breakneck speed.”

“We can’t ignore some basic ethics,” said Rep. Mary Pilcher Cook, R-Shawnee.

The cloning bill would make it a felony to knowingly attempt, participate or perform human cloning, or to ship or knowingly receive the product of human cloning for any purpose. Violators could be fined $100,000 to $250,000.

Also advancing was the bill making it a felony to intentionally or knowingly conduct destructive research on a human embryo.

Final action on the measures is set for Tuesday, when passage would send them to the Senate. The House plans to shorten its schedule Monday so members can attend the funeral for the son of Rep. Melvin Neufeld, R-Ingalls, who died in a construction accident.

Supporters said Kansas needs the ban on cloning and destructive embryonic research because politics have prevented Congress from enacting a federal ban.

During hearings earlier this year, there were no opponents to either bill, and both had the support of the Kansas Catholic Conference.

However, Rep. Nancy Kirk, D-Topeka, said the state should not take action to halt research that could lead to cures for Kansans suffering from debilitating and life-altering diseases.

Rep. Carlos Mayans, R-Wichita, said the bills would prevent researchers “from playing God” and provide protection that humans need. Technology in the hands of evil people could create a “master race,” he said.