Topeka ? A key lawmaker said Thursday he was backing off trying to add further restrictions on late-term abortions in Kansas.

But state Rep. Arlen Siegfreid, R-Olathe, and other abortion opponents want to require that doctors provide more information to the state on the reasons for doing the procedure.

The issue comes as Siegfreid starts hearings today on the state abortion law and as court proceedings continue in the case against Dr. George Tiller, of Wichita, who is nationally known for conducting late-term abortions.

Kansas Attorney General Paul Morrison has charged Tiller with 19 counts of illegal abortions, alleging Tiller failed to get an independent second doctor to sign off on the abortions, as required by Kansas law. Tiller has denied the accusations and challenged the law’s constitutionality.

During the investigation into Tiller, anti-abortion advocates, including Siegfreid, promised to introduce legislation to limit late-term abortions.

Under current state law, a physician can perform an abortion after the 21st week of pregnancy to save a woman’s life or to prevent “substantial and irreversible harm” to “a major bodily function.” Officials have said that a major bodily function includes mental health.

Siegfreid said he had drawn up legislation allowing late-term abortions only if the procedure was necessary to save the life of the mother.

But on Thursday, he said, “I’m not getting good feedback on that.” He said attorneys told him such a ban would be declared unconstitutional.

Instead, he said, he would push for the state to require that doctors filling out the state “report of induced termination of pregnancy” provide specific information on why a late-term abortion was needed.

Currently, he said, doctors are simply “reiterating the law back to us on the form” by saying the abortion was necessary to prevent impairment of a major bodily function of the mother.

Mary Kay Culp, executive director of Kansans for Life, supports Siegfreid’s idea.

“We want the reasons and the basis written down,” she said.

ProKanDo, a political action committee partially funded by Tiller, expected anti-abortion recommendations from Siegfreid’s committee.

Julie Burkhart, chief executive officer of ProKanDo, said she was glad Siegfreid said he was backing off his restrictions on late-term abortions.

But she was disturbed he wanted to require more information from physicians.

“There is a reporting mechanism in place. This is nothing but the state putting its nose into the personal and private matters that a woman and her family face,” Burkhart said.

During the last legislative session, lawmakers approved a similar provision, but it was vetoed by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, saying it would have opened up “patients’ private medical information to public viewing.”

Anti-abortion advocates said patients’ privacy would have been protected. Lawmakers failed to override Sebelius’ veto.