JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri Republican is proposing that women be required to get notarized permission from the father to receive an abortion.
State Representative Rick Brattin of Harrisonville recently filed legislation requiring a father's consent except in cases of rape or incest.
Brattin told Mother Jones that "it has to be legitimate rape."
Brattin told The Associated Press he wasn't trying to define "legitimate rape," but said a woman would need to prove the rape to have an abortion without the father's permission.
The bill is one of several dealing with abortion that have repeatedly failed, including an identical bill that died in committee last session.
Brattin's comments spurred critical comparisons to former Republican U.S. Representative Todd Akin, who said women's bodies can avoid pregnancy from what he called "legitimate rape."
