Paternal rights of children conceived from sexual assaults could be terminated under a bill heard by the Judiciary Committee Feb. 6.<\/p>\n
Under LB182, introduced by Lincoln Sen. Bill Avery, a biological mother would be allowed to terminate the parental rights of a biological father who is convicted of a sexual assault during which the child was conceived. The court would determine if child support payments by the biological father are in the child\u2019s best interest.<\/p>\n
He cited a Nebraska case in which a woman became pregnant as the result of a sexual assault and chose to give birth to the child. In an effort to avoid a public trial, the mother agreed to let the perpetrator plea to a lesser charge, he said, so the biological father was granted visitation rights to the child.<\/p>\n
Patricia Samuels, a family law attorney in Norfolk, testified in support of the bill, saying that sexual assault charges often are reduced because the victim does not want to confront the assailant in a courtroom. Assailants who are not convicted of first-degree sexual assaults could be allowed visitation rights to the child conceived from the assault, she said.<\/p>\n
Robert Sanford, representing the Nebraska Domestic Violence Sexual Assault Coalition, also supported the bill, saying current laws require ongoing contact between the victim and the abuser.<\/p>\n
He cited a Nebraska case in which an 11-year-old conceived as a result of a sexual assault and gave birth to the child when she was 12 years old. She was bullied by her peers for being pregnant at a young age and was forced to allow the biological father visitation rights, Sanford said.<\/p>\n
No one testified in opposition and the committee took no immediate action on the bill.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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