PA Senate Sends Governor Rape Victim Support Bill
By Tony Romeo
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- Governor Wolf is expected to sign a bill to help rape victims – a bill that supporters say is aimed at closing a bizarre loophole in Pennsylvania law.
As strange as it may seem, under current Pennsylvania law, a convicted rapist has parental rights if the victim conceives a child, gives birth and chooses the raise the child.
Republican Senator Randy Vulakovich says if the parental rights of the offender are terminated, so is the obligation to pay child support to the victim.
"Well, I guess the same as it is with a lot of laws, you think back and say, 'really – I can't believe that that was never just adjusted at some time to take care of that loophole'. And why they go on so long and no one addresses the loophole. says Vulakovich. "It surprises you when you first find out about it."
The bill now in its way to the governor allows courts to terminate the parental rights of a convicted rapist while maintaining child support obligations. A spokesman for Governor Wolf says he supports the legislation.