Lawmakers opposing Senate Bill 89 argued it was retreating from a same-sex marriage ban approved by voters in November.

The bill, which would allow adults to sign a legal agreement for rights such as hospital visitation and property inheritance, passed 15-10, just enough votes to make it to a final Senate debate. And several lawmakers signaled with their votes that they may not support the bill in another vote.

Sponsor Sen. Greg Bell, R-Fruit Heights, argued the bill didn't detract from Amendment 3, which passed overwhelmingly in the general election, and noted that he had even campaigned for the constitutional change.

Many fellow Republicans didn't see it that way.

"You can say what you want, but the gay community has this totally crafted as their first step to gay marriage," said Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan. He cited The Screwtape Letters, a conservative book written from the viewpoint of the devil telling his nephew how to tempt Christians.

Buttars last year had said he was open to the idea of marriagelike rights for adults unable to wed. But Friday he said SB89 was wrong.

Scott McCoy, executive director of the gay-rights advocate group Equality Utah, said the vote was a start.

"We now know who we need to work on," he said. "We lived to fight another day."

Not for long, promised Gayle Ruzicka, founder of the conservative Eagle Forum.

"We're going to kill this in the House," Ruzicka said after the vote.

"This is an apology for Amendment 3. and we don't need to apologize for that."

Ruzicka, who scribbled messages to lawmakers during the debate, said she knew which senators to lobby, but it may not be worth the effort in the Senate.

Sen. Bill Hickman, R-St. George, opposed the controversial bill, saying Utahns thought they "solved the problem" last year with Amendment 3.

"I don't think what we're attempting to do today is in the best interest of the people of the state," Hickman said.

Not a single Democrat spoke during the debate.

Senate President John Valentine voted for the bill, but said he had concerns and may not back it for a final vote.

In fighting for the bill, Bell cited a statement by five attorneys - including one of the leaders of the Amendment 3 campaign - that said that Senate Bill 89 would actually reinforce "Utah's fundamental marriage policy" of a man and a woman.