HB1422

Regular Session

Relating to the rights of victims of sexual assault and other sex offenses, the offense of continuous sexual abuse, and the prosecution, punishment, and collateral consequences of certain sex offenses; creating a criminal offense; increasing criminal penalties; changing the eligibility for community supervision, mandatory supervision, and parole for persons convicted of certain sex offenses.

ModeratePlan for compliance

Low Cost

Effective:2025-06-20

Enforcing Agencies

Department of Public Safety (DPS) • Local Law Enforcement and Prosecutors • Pardons and Paroles Division • Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ)

HB1422

Relating to the rights of victims of sexual assault and other sex offenses, the offense of continuous sexual abuse, and the prosecution, punishment, a...

Moderate Urgency

Passed with Opposition

House Vote139 - 1

YEA

99% in favor140 voting

Senate Vote31 - 0

YEA

100% in favor31 voting

Total Opposition Votes

Cost Impact

Low

Effective

2025-06-20

Enforcing Agencies

DPSLocal Law Enforcement and Prosec...Pardons and Paroles DivisionTDCJ

Primary Author: Rep. Lacey Hull

89th Texas Legislature

jdkey.com

Compliance Analysis

Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation

Implementation Timeline

Effective Date: June 20, 2025 (Criminal penalties and sentencing enhancements apply immediately).
Compliance Deadline: December 1, 2025 (Healthcare providers must operationalize "Limited Consent" forms and evidence routing).
Agency Rulemaking: The Department of Public Safety (DPS) must adopt the standardized "Limited Consent for DNA Testing" form by December 1, 2025. Do not create internal forms; you must wait for the DPS-promulgated document.

Immediate Action Plan

1. HR/Legal: Update hiring adjudication matrices to include the new "Continuous Sexual Abuse" felony and upgraded "Voyeurism" classifications immediately.
2. Higher Ed Facilities: Conduct a physical security audit of all restrooms and locker rooms. Repair broken latches and gaps to mitigate "State Jail Felony" negligence claims.
3. Healthcare Compliance: Draft a "Limited Consent" policy shell now, but calendar a review for November 2025 to insert the specific DPS form once released.
4. General Counsel: Issue a memo to medical staff regarding the conflict between HB1422 and Mandatory Reporting laws for minors, establishing a clear protocol for frontline workers.

Operational Changes Required

Contracts

Background Screening Vendors: Review Master Service Agreements (MSAs) immediately. Vendors must update adjudication grids to flag "Continuous Sexual Abuse" (Penal Code Sec. 21.03) as a First Degree Felony and "Voyeurism" (Penal Code Sec. 21.17) as a Class A Misdemeanor (or State Jail Felony if on campus).
Forensic Couriers: Healthcare facilities must amend scopes of work to ensure couriers are authorized to transport "Limited Consent" kits directly to DPS laboratories, bypassing local law enforcement intake.

Hiring/Training

Healthcare Intake Staff: SANE nurses and ER admission staff require training on the "Limited Consent" workflow. They must be able to explain to patients that they can receive DNA testing *without* a police report.
Campus Security: Higher education security teams must increase patrol frequency in "high-privacy" zones (restrooms, locker rooms, dorms). The shift of voyeurism to a felony increases the institution's negligence exposure if these areas are unmonitored.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

Limited Consent Form: Effective December 1, 2025, you must integrate the DPS-mandated form into your Electronic Health Records (EHR). This form must explicitly state that reporting to law enforcement is *not* required for testing.
Result Notification: Healthcare providers must utilize the statewide electronic tracking system to notify survivors of DNA results directly, as law enforcement will not serve as the intermediary for these specific cases.

Fees & Costs

Parole Supervision Fee: A new $5.00/month fee applies to parolees under these offense categories (effective June 20, 2025).
Operational Costs: Healthcare systems should budget for EHR software updates to accommodate the new consent forms and tracking integration.

Strategic Ambiguities & Considerations

Mandatory Reporting vs. Limited Consent: The law allows victims to request testing without a police report. However, Texas Family Code Chapter 261 mandates reporting abuse of minors. The statute does not explicitly resolve this conflict. Until the Attorney General issues an opinion, legal counsel should assume mandatory reporting for minors supersedes HB1422's non-reporting provisions.
Federal CODIS Compliance: The Fiscal Note warns that testing DNA without a crime report may violate FBI standards, potentially excluding these samples from the national CODIS database. Providers must monitor DPS rulemaking to see if a separate, state-only database is created, as this materially affects what you tell a survivor regarding the utility of the test.

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Legislative Timeline

This bill's path through the Texas Legislature

TopicsCrimes Crimes--against Persons Crimes--against Persons--sexual Criminal Procedure Criminal Procedure--sentencing & Punishment Minors Minors--crimes Against Dna Evidence Forensic Testing Sexual Abuse Sexual Assault Public Safety, Department of

Official Analysis

View HRO Analysis View All Bill Documents

House Authors

Rep. Lacey HullRepublican · Primary Author

Coauthors (3)

Senate Sponsors

Sen. Joan HuffmanRepublican · Primary Sponsor

Cosponsors (1)

Mayes Middleton (R)

Bill Text(with markup)

Showing first 50k characters.

View bill text in multiple formats on Texas Legislature website

Fiscal NoteView Original

Related Legislation

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More from Rep. Lacey Hull

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about HB1422

What does Texas HB1422 do?

HB1422 fundamentally bifurcates forensic evidence workflows for healthcare providers, requiring a new "Limited Consent" track for DNA testing without police reporting by December 1, 2025. Simultaneously, the law significantly expands premises liability for higher education institutions by reclassifying on-campus voyeurism as a State Jail Felony, necessitating immediate upgrades to security protocols in private areas. Implementation Timeline Effective Date: June 20, 2025 (Criminal penalties and sentencing enhancements apply immediately).

Who authored HB1422?

HB1422 was authored by Texas Representative Lacey Hull during the Regular Session.

When was HB1422 signed into law?

HB1422 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 20, 2025.

Which agencies enforce HB1422?

HB1422 is enforced by Department of Public Safety (DPS), Local Law Enforcement and Prosecutors, Pardons and Paroles Division and Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ).

How urgent is compliance with HB1422?

The compliance urgency for HB1422 is rated as "moderate". Businesses and organizations should review the requirements and timeline to ensure timely compliance.

What is the cost impact of HB1422?

The cost impact of HB1422 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.

What topics does HB1422 address?

HB1422 addresses topics including crimes, crimes--against persons, crimes--against persons--sexual, criminal procedure and criminal procedure--sentencing & punishment.

Legislative data provided by LegiScanLast updated: November 25, 2025

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