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Bill Would Prohibit Rapist From Having Custody Rights Of Child

TALLAHASSEE (AP) — A bill which would prohibit a convicted rapist from having any custody rights if the rape resulted in a child has been unanimously approved by the state's Senate Criminal Justice committee.

The bill (SB 964) would allow for a father's parental rights to be cut off if his child "was conceived during an act of sexual battery."

A staff analysis said at least 19 states allow for the "termination of parental rights in cases where the parent is the father of a child conceived as a result of ... sexual assault or incest."

A federal appeals court upheld the concept behind the law by noting the Constitution doesn't forbid states from penalizing a "father's illicit conduct by refusing to grant him parental rights."

(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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