The Ugandan parliamentarian behind a controversial anti-gay bill says backers are willing to drop the death penalty provision of the legislation.

"The death penalty is something we have moved away from," MP David Bahati tells the Associated Press.

The 36-year-old legislator says his group would go along if the committee handling the bill wants to drop that portion.

"Many people have expressed concern about that provision providing for the death sentence and I'm sure when we start hearings on that bill, we will hear many more concerns," Bahati says.

The bill, which has attracted international condemnation, including from President Obama, could come up for a vote by mid-May, he says.