HELENA -- Women lined the room of a legislative committee Friday, waiting to testify in support of a bill that would require insurance companies to cover all forms of female contraception.

Time ran out before every supporter could speak in front of the House Businesses and Labor Committee on Senate Bill 203, by Sen. Greg Lind, D-Missoula, to require contraception coverage in all policies that also provide prescription drug benefits.

"There are 21 other states that I could live in where my prescription contraception would be covered," said Alison James, a recently married Helena woman, "but I don't want to live in another state. I want to live in Montana and eventually raise our kids here."

The bill passed the Senate with a 28-22 margin and is now making its way through the House.

Opponents of the bill argued ideology and cost as reasons for voting against SB203. Eric Schiedermayer, lobbyist for Montana Catholic Conference, said it is not fair to have people fund contraception when it is against their religious beliefs.

"The Catholic Church has consistently taught that artificial contraception is morally wrong," he said. "We are not asking you to accept this teaching -- we are simply asking you extend us the same courtesy."

However, Anna Hefflinger, a Catholic and student at Carroll College, a private Catholic college in Helena, testified against Schiedermayer, and said there are many Catholic women who use contraceptives and who disagree with the church's stance on contraception.

To assure the bill strictly pertains to health care, Lind proposed an amendment to the committee to insert language making it clear SB203 does not address abortion.

Lind proposed a second amendment to clarify consumers are required to pay the deductibles before insurance will pick up the costs for contraception.

Lobbyists for the insurance industry opposed SB203 because it would increase premium costs. The bill would increase premiums each month by $1.30 per person. Over time, even these costs add up, they argued.

On average, birth control pills cost anywhere between $20 to $42, said Jeri Duran, representative of Planned Parenthood. The patch costs roughly $32 a month, the ring is over $30 a month and an IUD is $300 but lasts for 10 years.

The committee took no executive action on the bill.