Topeka ? A House committee has endorsed a bill to set minimum health and safety standards for abortion clinics, moving abortion opponents closer to a confrontation with Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

The 11-7 vote Monday by the Federal and State Affairs Committee sent the measure to the entire House.

Sebelius vetoed a similar measure last year and recently pledged to do so again. The governor contends that health professionals are more qualified than legislators to set standards for clinics.

The bill would put Kansas’ seven abortion clinics under regulation by the Department of Health and Environment, which would set minimum standards for equipment and space. The bill also would require that each clinic have a licensed surgeon as its medical director.

Because most abortions are performed in an office or clinic, state law currently treats abortion clinics like doctors’ offices. They are regulated by the state Board of Healing Arts, with no inspections required.

Supporters of the regulation bill said their goal is to protect women’s health.

“I don’t think anything in this bill would stop a single abortion,” committee Chairman Bill Mason, R-El Dorado, said after Monday’s vote.

But abortion rights advocates were skeptical, noting that the measure’s strongest backers oppose abortion. Critics contend the bill would force clinics to raise their prices or close.

“This bill essentially micromanages the practice of medicine, but only when it comes to abortion,” said Rep. Rick Rehorn, D-Kansas City.

Rehorn, seeking to extend the proponents’ logic, offered an amendment to require the minimum standards for all surgical procedures performed in clinics and doctor’s offices. The committee rejected the amendment on an 11-8 vote, with some members saying such extensive regulation could be expensive and that no hearing had been held on Rehorn’s proposal.

Rehorn said he remained hopeful that Sebelius and abortion rights supporters can reach a compromise with abortion opponents.

“She wants a bill she can sign,” he said.

Mike Farmer, lobbyist for the Kansas Catholic Conference, which opposes abortion, said he is trying to help Sebelius and backers of the bill come to agreement.

“There’s some discussions going on,” he said.

In other action:

— The same House committee endorsed a bill that would allow Kansans to carry concealed weapons.

— Legislation permitting a quick appeal by the state of a judge’s order to revise the state’s school funding formula won first-round House approval.

— Legislation creating a state animal identification program cleared the House Agriculture Committee without an earlier provision for fees and penalties on livestock owners.

— Student leaders from state universities lobbied against Sebelius’ proposed method of funding raises for state employees.