By JOHN HANNA ~ Associated Press

TOPEKA (AP) – The Kansas Senate has approved a proposal favored by the moderate Republican leadership for redrawing the chamber’s 40 districts.

Friday’s 21-17 vote sent the measure to the House, where it’s unlikely to pass.

Senate President Steve Morris, a moderate Hugoton Republican, acknowledged supporters pursued the measure to give a federal court more options in settling a lawsuit over redistricting.

GOP conservatives complained during Friday’s debate that the measure is designed to keep current Senate leaders in power. Supporters denied they were gerrymandering.

The measure would remove at least three conservative candidates from the districts of the moderate Republican incumbents they had planned to challenge.

It would also put conservative Republican Sens. Steve Abrams, of Arkansas City, and Ty Masterson, of Andover, in one district.