A Siberian regional legislature passed in the first reading on Thursday a bill banning promotion of homosexual, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender practices among minors and adopted it in its Administrative Offenses Code.

“It’s mainly about various gay parades…about their promotion among minors. It’s about preventing people who are not related to homosexuality from explaining to their kids what is going on,” said Alexander Ilushchenko who oversees a regional committee on culture, education, sports and youth policy .

The bill which stipulates that "gay propaganda" should be viewed as an administrative offense, will also be debated in a final second reading by the lawmakers in Russian Siberian city of Novosibirsk.

A law penalizing “the propaganda of homosexuality and pedophilia among minors”came into force in St. Petersburg on March 17, prompting mixed reactions among Russians where anti-gay sentiment remains strong.

The U.S. State Department expressed its concern about the law which stipulates fines of up to $16,000 for individuals and up to $160,000 to organizations promoting homosexuality.

Anti-gay laws have already been approved in several Russian regions including Ryazan Region, Kostroma Region, Arkhangelsk Region and the city of St. Petersburg.