Over objections that it was simply legitimizing homosexual relationships, a Senate committee passed a bill that would broaden who could participate in wrongful-death cases.

Carried by Sen. Scott McCoy, D-Salt Lake City, the bill fills a gap in the current law that "non-traditional families" fall into in the wrongful-death statute.

It would allow a decedent to previously designate someone other than a spouse, child or parent to make a case for restitution. It wouldn't apply if there were a living spouse. It would also be up to the courts to make the decision as to whether they actually received benefits.

Dalane England of the Eagle Forum saw another reason for the bill.

"It is an attempt to legitimize unlicensed relationships," she said. "It is a foot in the door."

Sen. Mark Madsen, R-Eagle Mountain, didn't dispute that but also didn't see the bill as specifically a gay issue.

"I'm sensitive to the concern that this is a foot in the door," he said. "There's no doubt this would be applicable to homosexual relations, but it would also be applicable to other relationships."

To that end, the committee unanimously passed the bill to the Senate for debate.