Topeka ? As a bill aimed at creating a new biosciences industry in Kansas moves closer to her desk, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is criticizing a portion restricting research involving fetal tissue or stem cells.

The bill, which the Senate approved on a 37-3 vote late Friday night, is a major part of an economic development program drafted by Republican legislative leaders. They contend it would help create up to 20,000 biosciences jobs by 2015 and a similar number in small businesses through technical and financial support.

Sebelius called the bill an important initiative but criticized provisions — backed by abortion opponents — to prevent the state’s involvement in research that involves either tissue from aborted fetuses or embryonic stem cells.

“I would prefer a bill that allows researchers to research,” Sebelius said at her weekly news conference.

“If we want to be cutting-edge about what’s going to happen in Kansas, my preference would be to let the academicians, the researchers, the scientists really define and decide what is appropriate,” she said.

Some legislators said Sebelius was overstating the significance of the restrictive language, which accounts for seven lines in the 50-page bill.

“It struck a balance,” Sen. Nick Jordan, R-Shawnee, one of the authors of the overall package, said in an interview. “Some researchers will be uncomfortable with the language, but most researchers won’t.”

The bill differs slightly from a version passed last month by the House, and key legislators said they do not see much problem in working out a compromise.

Both versions would create a Kansas Biosciences Authority to lead efforts to recruit promising scholars and leading researchers. The authority could issue bonds to finance the development of research centers and provide financial help to fledgling companies.

Tax revenue generated by new bioscience companies and small businesses would be reinvested in their initiatives. GOP leaders have estimated those tax revenues will be $593 million over 11 years.

The provisions dealing with research with fetal tissue and stem cells — the body’s basic building blocks — were important to securing passage in both the House and Senate, Jordan said.

Anti-abortion activists sought the restrictions to avoid state involvement in research that could lead to human cloning. Kathy Ostrowski, legislative director for Kansans for Life, said other states have such restrictions and still attract leading bioscience researchers.

“You don’t have to be dirty to be profitable,” she said.

Senate Majority Leader Lana Oleen, R-Manhattan, said legislators could reconsider the restrictions in future years if necessary.

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Biosciences initiative is Senate Sub for Sub for HB 2647.