HELENA — Most members of the House agreed Friday to fund tobacco prevention programs that 65 percent of Montana voters approved in November.

House Bill 756, sponsored by Rep. Christine Kaufmann, D-Helena, implements Initiative 146 as voters approved it at the polls.

That means 40 percent of the state's annual $30 million tobacco settlement payment will be placed in a health care trust fund, with 32 percent used for tobacco use prevention programs, 17 percent for insurance for the uninsured and 11 percent returned to the state's general fund.

Legislators have talked about using $12 million of the prevention dollars to help balance the $70 million deficit in the Department of Public Health and Human Service's 2004-2005 budget.

"We're very pleased," said former Attorney General Joe Mazurek, representing Protectmontanakids.org. "This is what the voters voted to do."

Some lawmakers have criticized the bill, saying it will bleed money from the already-anemic human services budget.

Kaufmann said more money for the state budget can "come from anywhere."

"In the coming weeks we have many opportunities to find revenue," Kaufmann said, "And we will."

Mazurek said he appreciates the support of the House, but knows he will still have to lobby for his cause once it hits the Senate.

"We've still got a long struggle," said Mazurek, a former Senate president.