MADISON, Wis., Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Lawmakers in the Wisconsin Senate passed a bill that would require schools to promote marriage and abstinence in their sexual education classes.

The Republican-sponsored measure, passed Wednesday with a 17-15 vote and now headed to the Assembly, would allow abstinence-only classes that were banned last year when the government was controlled by Democrats, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Tuesday.


Current law allows schools to choose against offering sex education but does not allow abstinence-only courses.

State Sen. Mary Lazich of New Berlin said the new bill gives more control to local school districts while Democrats say the change could cause an increase in sexually transmitted disease and teen pregnancies, the newspaper said.

"What's before us is whether we want children to learn sex education ... from our schools or from a Google search," state Sen. Chris Larson of Milwaukee said.