(RALEIGH) -- North Carolina State House lawmakers approved a bill that creates new protections for a developing fetus. The House voted 73 to 36 for the measure, which would make someone who commits violent crime against a pregnant woman guilty of the same crimes against the fetus.

Republican Rep. Fred Steen said the proposal would make it so the unborn child is recognized as a person. "This also provides justice to those unborn children, their mothers and to the families who are left to pick up the pieces after the act of violence," said Steen. The legislation would not apply in situations involving legal abortion.

Democratic Rep. Deborah Ross said the bill creates unintended consequences because it would apply even if a woman does not know she is pregnant. "This bill is a wish list basically for people who want to start life at conception and want to extend our criminal statutes well beyond what intent would need to be," said Ross.

The legislation now heads to the Senate.