In reversal, North Dakota lawmakers remove controversial bill amendment on rapist parental rights

A North Dakota House committee agreed to remove a controversial bill amendment exempting spouses from a bill allowing judges to terminate a rapist’s parental rights Monday.

The House Judiciary Committee removed the bill language before giving the original legislation a "do pass" recommendation. It allows judges to terminate the parental rights of somebody who has pleaded guilty to or has been convicted of a rape that led to the child's birth if it's "in the best interests of the child."

But an amendment previously adopted by the committee, chaired by Rep. Kim Koppelman, R-West Fargo, attracted backlash. It would have exempted parents who are married "to the victim of the sexual act."

Koppelman, a bill cosponsor, previously said the amendment was meant to address an unlikely circumstance in which a couple stays together after a rape. He introduced the amendment during a committee meeting last week, though he said it came about through panel deliberation.

Read more: https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/in-reversal-north-dakota-lawmakers-remove-controversial-bill-amendment-on/article_59671d5d-c3b4-5a60-87a7-05d63053eb8f.html