Springfield, Ill. — The Illinois Senate defeated an anti-bullying bill on Tuesday for the second time.

HB 5290 would have required the State Board of Education to set down anti-bullying policies and then required that school districts meet the standards.

The leaders of Youth Pride Services said that to get the bill to succeed the third time around, LGBT leaders will need to reach out to minority communities.

"YPS youth will be leading a campaign to bring more awareness to this Bill in the black LGBT community," the group said in a press release.  "We encourage all who are concerned about the amount of bullying that takes place in today's schools to contact their elected official and encourage them to put youth first over the usual political agendas."

The Associated Press said that some conservative groups see the legislation as cover for liberals who want to teach homosexuality in the schools.

Sponsors in the House were Reps. Kelly M. Cassidy, Lou Lang, Monique D. Davis, Karen A. Yarbrough, Jehan A. Gordon, Linda Chapa LaVia, Carol A. Sente, Maria Antonia Berrios, John D'Amico, Cynthia Soto, Elizabeth Hernandez, Dena M. Carli and Daniel J. Burke.

Sponsors in the Illinois Senate were Sens. Heather A. Steans, John G. Mulroe, Kimberly A. Lightford, Iris Y. Martinez, Susan Garrett, William Delgado, Emil Jones, III, Michael Noland, Jeffrey M. Schoenberg, Ira I. Silverstein, Dan Kotowski, David Koehler and Donne E. Trotter)

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