Senate Bill 13-227 Summary

• Establishes process for sexual assault victims to file petition in juvenile court to terminate parental rights of the perpetrator and obtain no-contact protection orders when a child was conceived as a result of sexual assault, if perpetrator was convicted on or after July 1, 2013.

• Court must terminate parental rights upon clear and convincing evidence that parent was convicted of sexual assault against victim, child was conceived as result, and termination is in child's best interests; creates rebuttable presumption that termination serves child's interests.

• Terminated parent loses all parental responsibilities including parenting time and decision-making authority, but remains obligated to pay child support unless victim waives it; victim and child's whereabouts kept confidential during proceedings.

• Creates automatic stay of civil domestic and paternity proceedings when criminal charges allege sexual assault resulting in conception, preventing use of victim's denial of parenting time during criminal proceedings against victim in future domestic cases.

• Establishes task force to study and recommend legislation on protecting rape victims and addressing parental rights in sexual assault cases, with $9,000 appropriation for fiscal year 2013.