Utah Gov. Gary Herbert signed into law Monday a bill allowing prosecutors to file homicide charges against women who have an illegal abortion.

The bill, authored by Rep. Carl Wimmer, R-Herriman, comes in response to a 17-year-old girl's attempt last year to force a miscarriage by paying a man $150 to beat her.

The governor vetoed an earlier version that allowed charges to be filed if a woman's actions were deemed "reckless." He said such a provision could have made unintended miscarriages a crime.

"[The revised bill ] is more consistent with the true intent of the legislation and addresses those situations in which the termination of a pregnancy is intentional and is not conducted at a physician's direction," Herbert said.

The bill would have no effect on legal abortions performed by a physician.