Topeka ? Gov. Kathleen Sebelius declined Wednesday to say whether she would again veto a measure that puts restrictions on Kansas University Medical Center’s efforts to work with St. Luke’s Hospital.

But she made it clear she didn’t like the provision.

“I haven’t seen the final tortured language,” Sebelius said during a news conference after lawmakers completed the 2007 legislative session.

The Legislature added a measure to its final budget that would require KUMC to reach an agreement with KU Hospital before it could form a research alliance with the hospital’s rival, St. Luke’s in Kansas City, Mo.

Earlier in the session, Sebelius vetoed similar budget language, agreeing with KUMC that the proposed affiliation would increase medical research in the area, and help KU attain status as a national cancer center.

Of the new provision, she said: “I’ll take a look at it. I continue to hold the belief that micromanagement of the hospital or the med center from the Legislature is probably not productive.”

But supporters of the measure say it is needed to get KU Hospital and the medical center back on friendly terms to move forward with research and health care training.

“We’d like to see those two get their issues resolved,” said the provision’s author, state Rep. Tom Burroughs, D-Kansas City.

But opponents of the budget language urged Sebelius to veto it.

“This is one of the biggest mistakes this Legislature will ever make,” said state Sen. David Wysong, R-Mission Hills.

Several legislators said regardless of whether Sebelius vetoes the provision, the mere passage of it by the Legislature will frighten off major research initiatives by the Stowers Institute in Kansas City, Mo.

Sebelius said she would do everything she could to keep Stowers researchers working in the area. She said collaboration with the institute was key to KU getting designation as a cancer center.

“That is what this is really all about,” she said.