Lawmakers spent two hours debating sex education in schools Wednesday despite the fact that they didn't have a new bill to debate.

They then ended their discussion by passing an oddly-worded motion intended to urge lawmakers not to promote groups that encourage "high-risk sexual behavior" in schools, possibly including Planned Parenthood.

Sen. Stephen Urquhart, R-St. George, and Rep. Lynn Hemingway, D-Holladay, have decided to work together to create a bill to change and clarify sex education in Utah. But the bill was not yet ready Wednesday, which is why Hemingway said he asked the chairs of a health and human services committee to delay hearing arguments until a later date.

But committee co-chairman Sen.

Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, said during the meeting he was not aware there was no bill to present. He said afterward he decided to hold the discussion anyway because he had already flown in psychiatrist and author Miriam Grossman to talk about the topic on his own dime.

Grossman spent about a half hour talking about how not enough scientific facts are included in sex education and how the national Planned Parenthood promotes what she considers to be high-risk sexual behavior among teens.

"The primary goals of these organizations is not to fight disease," Grossman said. "It is to create a society that tolerates, indeed celebrates, any kind of sexual activity."

Many committee members agreed that more scientific

facts should be included in Utah's sex education, but several said they weren't sure what Planned Parenthood had to do with changing Utah's sex ed laws.

The bill Hemingway has been working on proposes splitting sex education into two tracks: one that teaches abstinence only and a second that would promote abstinence but require teachers to teach about contraception and require parental permission. The Utah Planned Parenthood Action Council (PPAC) has been advocating for that bill. Now, Utah teachers are allowed to include contraception in their sex ed lessons, but they're not allowed to encourage its use, leading some teachers to avoid the topic all together, some say.

Ultimately, Sen. David Hinkins, R-Orangeville, proposed a motion to urge the legislature "to consider any person or organizations that promotes, recommends or teaches high-risk sexual behavior, Web sites, examples or talks" as not appropriate in public schools.

The motion passed 7-4, though at least one lawmaker, Sen. Patricia Jones, D-Holladay, voted against it after she said she didn't understand its intent.

After the meeting, Hemingway called the motion "an attack on people who disagree with their philosophy."

Melissa Bird, executive director of PPAC, said she also didn't understand the motion's intent or why lawmakers discussed sex education for two hours with no bill.

"People really need to have a clear understanding of what Planned Parenthood of Utah is and what we do, and what just happened did not paint that picture," Bird said.