JD Key Consulting Logo
Signed Into Law
Signed June 20, 2025Effective 2025-06-20
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.

Government Affairs & Regulatory Compliance Analysis

HB1422: Government Affairs Overview

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.

Rep. Lacey Hull·House Bill·Regular Session

Moderate
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)

Need Help Navigating This Legislation?

JD Key Consulting provides strategic guidance on Texas regulatory compliance and legislative impact for your business.

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
1
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
01

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.

Need Compliance Guidance on This Legislation?

JD Key Consulting specializes in Texas regulatory compliance strategy. Work directly with James Dickey—former Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas—to understand this bill's impact on your operations and develop an actionable compliance plan.

Schedule a Consultation

Information presented is for general knowledge only and is provided without warranty, express or implied. Consult qualified government affairs professionals and legal counsel before making compliance decisions.

02

Legislative Timeline

This bill's path through the Texas Legislature

Filed
Nov 20, 2024
Passed House
May 15, 2025
Passed Senate
May 25, 2025
Signed
Jun 20, 2025
Effective
Jun 20, 2025
TopicsCrimesCrimes--against PersonsCrimes--against Persons--sexualCriminal ProcedureCriminal Procedure--sentencing & PunishmentMinorsMinors--crimes AgainstDnaEvidenceForensic TestingSexual AbuseSexual AssaultPublic Safety, Department of
03

House Authors

Rep. Lacey HullRepublican · Primary Author
Coauthors (3)

Senate Sponsors

Sen. Joan HuffmanRepublican · Primary Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)

Bill Text(with markup)

Showing first 50k characters.

View bill text in multiple formats on Texas Legislature website

Fiscal NoteView Original

Related Legislation

Explore more bills from this author and on related topics

More from Rep. Lacey Hull

View all bills by Rep. Lacey Hull

Related by Topic

View more Crimes legislation
Quick Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about HB1422

Q

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.

Q

Who authored HB1422?

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

Q

When was HB1422 signed into law?

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

Q

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).

Q

How significant are the changes in HB1422?

The regulatory priority for HB1422 is rated as "moderate". Businesses and organizations should review the legislation to understand potential impacts.

Q

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.

Q

What topics does HB1422 address?

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

Q

What are the key dates for HB1422?

Key dates for HB1422: Effective date is 2025-06-20. Rulemaking: Must adopt the specific 'Limited Consent for DNA Testing' form required by Section 420.0736, Government Code. (2025-12-01). Consult with legal counsel regarding applicability.

Q

What are the penalties under HB1422?

HB1422 establishes the following penalties: criminal penalty of First Degree Felony for Continuous Sexual Abuse (New Penal Code Sec. 21.03): Committing 2+ acts of sexual abuse against 2+ victims over a period of 30+ days.; criminal penalty of Class A Misdemeanor (Increased from Class C) for Voyeurism (Penal Code Sec. 21.17).; criminal penalty of State Jail Felony for Voyeurism committed on the premises of a postsecondary educational institution (College/University).. Consult with legal counsel for specific applicability to your situation.

Need Strategic Guidance on This Legislation?

JD Key Consulting is an Austin, Texas-based government affairs firm led by James Dickey, former Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas. We specialize in Texas regulatory compliance and legislative strategy for data centers, energy, banking, and manufacturing.

Legislative data provided by LegiScanLast updated: January 11, 2026