Montana Senate Keeps Child Health Contraceptive Payments Ban

The Great Falls Tribune reports that on Tuesday the Montana state Senate approved Senate Bill 500 by a vote of 25-24. However, a day later the result was reversed when, on its third reading, the vote was 25- to 25. The bill would have removed a ban on payment for contraceptives by the Children's Health Insurance Program. The program provides medical insurance to children from low income families. State Sen. Roy Brown illustrates the opposition: "This is going to take general fund dollars and put it in a program that to some portion of our society is against their religion."