Bills intended to provide legal protection to in vitro fertilization clinics advanced Wednesday in an Alabama Senate committee.

The Senate Healthcare Committee approved SB159 by Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence, and SB160 by Sen. Larry Stutts, R-Sheffield. Both bills are intended to clear the way for clinics that have paused operations because of concerns about legal liability.

Some clinics put their services on hold after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled Feb. 16 that frozen embryos have the status of unborn children for certain purposes under state law.

The committee approval came on a voice vote in a room packed to capacity with families, doctors, and others concerned about access to the IVF process. Many of those advocates took part in a rally Wednesday morning outside the State House, urging lawmakers to resolve the legal uncertainty.

Melson and Stutts said they hope the legislation can be considered on the Senate floor as early as Thursday.

Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison was the only member of the Healthcare Committee who voiced concerns about the two bills. On Stutts’ bill, Coleman-Madison said she was concerned that the legal immunity it would provide would be too broad and not allow legal recourse for patients who suffer because of some mistake or shortcoming in the IVF process.

Stutts, an OBGYN doctor who said he has extensive experience with patients who have used IVF, said his intent was to only allow clinics to continue to do what they had been doing before the court ruling, which he described as commonly accepted standards of practice.

This story will be updated.