Topeka ? Without comment, Gov. Sam Brownback has signed into law a bill that critics say will hurt women who get impregnated after being raped.

And they criticized the House sponsor of the measure, state Rep. Pete DeGraaf, R-Mulvane, for comments he made during debate, which opponents said trivialized the horror of rape.

“This attack on women’s rights has to stop,” Amber Versola, lobbyist for Kansas NOW, said Thursday.

Brownback, an anti-abortion Republican, has already signed into law several anti-abortion measures passed this year.

The measure he approved Wednesday prohibits insurance companies from offering abortion coverage as part of their general health plans unless the procedure is necessary to save the woman’s life. Starting in July, individuals and employers who want abortion coverage would have to buy additional policies that only cover abortion.

In addition, the new law also says that no state or federally administered health-insurance exchange in Kansas established under the federal health care overhaul law can offer coverage for abortions, other than to save a woman’s life.

The law’s supporters say it will protect employers who oppose abortion rights from having to pay for policies that cover the procedures.

But Versola said women who become pregnant from rape or incest and who want an abortion will have to be able to afford the procedure themselves or have had purchased the additional insurance.

“Women cannot plan to be victims of rape and incest,” she said.

Kansas NOW and other groups also are criticizing comments by Rep. DeGraaf.

During debate on May 13, an opponent of the bill, state Rep. Barbara Bollier, R-Mission Hills, noted that abortions would not be covered for cases of rape and incest.

According to a report by The Associated Press, DeGraaf responded, “We do need to plan ahead, don’t we, in life?”

Bollier then asked, “And so, women need to plan ahead for issues that they have no control over with pregnancy?”

DeGraaf then said, “I have a spare tire in my car,” said DeGraaf. “I also have life insurance. I have a lot of things that I plan ahead for.”

Kansas NOW has put out a statement that says: “We have asked women across the nation to join us in telling Rep. DeGraaf that women are `Tired’ of legislators who trivialize the horrifying reality of rape.”

The group says it will send DeGraaf a model sized “spare” tire for every $5 donation it receives.

The Lawrence Journal-World has attempted to reach DeGraaf by telephone and email. So far, he has not responded.