Topeka ? Citing Loretta Lynn and the Virgin Mary as successful women who married young, Sen. Kay O’Connor voted against a bill that would prohibit 14-year-olds from marrying.

But the Senate didn’t go along with O’Connor on Wednesday, approving the measure 36-4. The House is expected to take up the bill today, and if it approves, the proposal will be sent to Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, who has called for restrictions on underage marriages.

During Senate debate, O’Connor, R-Olathe, said, “I see this as a pro-abortion bill.”

She said if a 14-year-old girl was pregnant and she and the families involved were OK with the girl getting married, then the state shouldn’t interfere.

By prohibiting a marriage, the state is pressuring the girl to get an abortion, O’Connor said.

Sen. Carolyn McGinn, R-Sedgwick, disagreed, saying that a decision to get an abortion is based on numerous factors.

“People make that decision based on what they believe,” McGinn said.

O’Connor noted that girls mature earlier than boys, and that history is full of prominent women who were married in their early teens. She cited country singer Loretta Lynn, who was married when she was 13, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, whom some scholars say was probably about 16 when married, based on the norms of the time.

“Every family has their own circumstances. Sometimes the best decision is to allow the marriage to go forward,” O’Connor said.

The issue erupted last year in Kansas when a 22-year-old Nebraska man impregnated his 14-year-old girlfriend and seven months later brought her to Kansas to get married. Nebraska law prohibits the marriage of people younger than 17 regardless of parental consent.

Currently, Kansas law does not have a minimum marriage age. It does say that before children younger than 18 may marry, they must have consent of a father, mother or legal guardian and consent of a judge. But if all parents or legal guardians of the child give their consent, the judge’s consent isn’t required.

Under the bill, no one younger than 15 would be authorized to obtain a marriage license in Kansas. A person who is 15 years old can get married if a judge agrees it is in that person’s best interest. Those 16 or 17 could get married if they have the permission of their parents or legal guardians, or if the parents are dead and there is no legal guardian, then a judge may consent.