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RALEIGH (AP) -A statewide policy aimed at stopping schoolyard bullies is headed to a special joint panel, after House lawmakers on Wednesday rejected a Senate version that removed a list of potential victim characteristics from the plan.

A special committee will now be assembled and charged with trying to hammer out the chambers' differences.

Last year, the House approved a measure that would require local school administrators to adopt anti-bullying and harassment politics. The bill said bullying may be prompted by specific perceived characteristics, including a victim's race, physical appearance, disability or sexual orientation.

When the plan was sent to the Senate, members there removed the list of potential targets.

Bill sponsor Rep. Rick Glazier, D-Cumberland, called on his chamber to reject the altered draft. Studies have shown bullying policies are more successful when districts focus on the "most vulnerable of students" - those likely to be targets, he said.

"They are all children of God, regardless of where they come from, what they look like, what their orientation is or passions are," Glazier said. "And when we know that's not happening, it is our job to try to assist, to make sure every child feels safe in schools."

House members narrowly rejected the changes on a 60-56 vote over the objections of some lawmakers who said the Senate draft would protect students without singling out special groups.

"Doesn't the phrase 'no student' cover all the categories that you can think of?" asked Rep. John Blust, R-Guilford.

Blust compared the House bill to prohibiting the theft of sweets from a candy jar. There's no need to individually name all the candy that can't be touched, he said.

Glazier responded: "I'd be glad to enter the debate if we were talking about candy. But we're talking about the lives of children."

House Minority Leader Paul Stam, R-Wake, cautioned there's no guarantee that the conference committee will come back with a draft that's palatable to both chambers.

But Glazier said lawmakers had to send the bill to conference committee because lawmakers needed to change the plan's effective date, which is listed as the start of the 2007 school year, because the bill was drafted last year. Glazier said he also hoped the panel would reinsert the list of likely targets and add socio-economic status as a potential characteristic.