TOPEKA ? An anti-abortion provision today was attached to legislation today sought by Kansas University.

The underlying bill would allow KU and other state universities to buy health insurance that would be provided to students, incuding those employed as graduate teaching assistants and graduate research assistants.

Currently, there are multiple agencies involved in providing the voluntary health insurance. This bill would bring the purchasing power under one buyer — the Kansas Board of Regents — and provide better coverage, officials say.

But in the House today, Rep. Dick Kelsey, R-Goddard, amended the bill so that the health insurance couldn’t provide coverage for abortions.

“So the state won’t be funding abortions,” Kelsey said when asked why he proposed the amendment. “It may be a legal procedure but it’s not a moral one,” he said.

Rep. Tom Sloan, R-Lawrence, and chairman of the House Higher Education Committee, urged colleagues to reject Kelsey’s amendment.

“This is not the time or the vehicle to have this debate,” Sloan said. “This is an insurance bill, not an abortion bill.”

But the House approved Kelsey’s amendment 72-50. The chamber then gave the entire legislation preliminary approval, 85-35. A final vote is expected Wednesday.