TALLAHASSEE — Less than a year after passing a measure that would ban abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, Republican lawmakers are pursuing an effort to allow parents to file civil lawsuits seeking damages for the wrongful death of an “unborn child.”

The legislation, filed by the House and Senate sponsors of the six-week abortion ban, has drawn intense pushback from abortion providers and their allies.

The proposal, approved Thursday by the House Civil Justice Subcommittee, would add “unborn child” to a law that allows family members to seek damages when a person’s death is caused by such things as wrongful acts or negligence.

House sponsor Jenna Persons-Mulicka, R-Fort Myers, told the House panel that her bill (HB 651) is not abortion-related. She said it is aimed at giving parents the ability “to go to court to seek redress against the wrongdoer” when an unborn child dies.

“So this is not about abortion, and I’m trying very hard not to take offense that people are trying to make it about abortion,” Persons-Mulicka said. “Let’s call a spade a spade. They’re not talking about lawful abortion. In a lawful abortion, what is the wrongful act that would be caught under this statute? They’re worried about illegal abortions.”

But Rep. Ashley Gantt, D-Miami, appeared unconvinced and pointed to the possibility of men filing lawsuits over abortions.