A Tennessee bill that would have eliminated minimum age limits to get married caught fire on social media this week. Now, the bill’s Republican sponsor is amending the legislation.

The Senate is scheduled to hear a bill that currently would do away with age limits for marriages between a man and a woman. On social media, the legislation drew backlash. Tweets criticized Republicans for creating a legal loophole for older men to marry underage girls.

But, Sen. Janice Bowling’s testimony makes clear that the bill’s true focus is same-sex marriages.

“It just declares that the marriage between a man and a woman is not a creation of the state government or its statutes, it is a common law right,” said Bowling, R-Tullahoma.

That’s a fancy way of saying ministers will no longer have to sign off on same-sex marriages, which the U.S. Supreme Court made legal in Tennessee in 2015.

Pastor Paul Becker of Kingsport says it goes against his religious beliefs.

“I cannot teach and preach a biblical view of marriage as the lifelong union of one man and one woman, which our Tennessee constitution also recognizes. And then endorse with my signature a policy or law the redefines marriage contrary to the laws of nature and nature’s God,” Becker said.

Nashville Attorney Abby Rubenfeld worked to get gay marriage before the U.S. Supreme Court. She says the proposal is bound to end up in a legal battle.

“Taxpayers again will be on the hook for tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars in attorney’s fees,” Rubenfeld said.

Passing legislation that triggers legal challenges has not prevented lawmakers from moving forward in the past.

Following widespread criticism, the bill’s sponsor will amend the legislation to add a minimum age requirement of 17. It will be heard Thursday by the full Senate.