HELENA (AP) -- The Senate endorsed a bill Tuesday that would allow a state-funded health insurance program to buy birth control for children.

The Children's Health Insurance Program, which insures about 13,000 Montana children up to age 19 who live below 150 percent of the federal poverty line, is currently banned from paying for contraceptives.

The bill's sponsor, Sen. Christine Kaufmann, D-Helena, said lifting the ban is good social policy.

"By preventing children from having children we can address many vexing problems," Kaufmann said.

But Sen. Jerry O'Neil, R-Kalispell, said the bill would be costly and encourage risky behavior by teens.

"If people think that sex is safe they are more likely to do it," O'Neil said.

Others said the state had no business buying birth control.

"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," said Sen. Roy Brown, R-Billings.

The Senate voted 25-24 in favor of the bill. The vote was split mostly along party lines, with Democrats favoring the bill, and Republicans opposing it. The bill faces a final vote in the Senate before moving to the House.

Kaufmann's bill is Senate bill 500.