According to the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), HB 1422 will have a negative fiscal impact of approximately $1.04 million to General Revenue funds over the biennium ending August 31, 2027. This cost primarily arises from expanded responsibilities for the Department of Public Safety (DPS), including increased processing and storage of sexual assault kits and software upgrades to support the bill’s consent tracking and DNA evidence management provisions.

To implement the bill, DPS would require three new full-time equivalent (FTE) employees: one forensic scientist, one crime lab specialist, and one program specialist. Personnel costs alone are projected at $291,845 annually in both FY 2026 and FY 2027. In addition to salaries, other costs such as lab supplies, travel, rent, and capital expenditures are expected to total over $350,000 in FY 2026 and roughly $99,000 in FY 2027. A one-time $225,000 expenditure is also required in FY 2026 to upgrade the Track-Kit and Laboratory Information Management System software.

The bill’s provisions are expected to increase the number of sexual assault kits processed regardless of whether a police report is filed, expanding access to forensic testing. Furthermore, the creation of new offenses and the elimination of parole, deferred adjudication, and other supervisory alternatives for certain sex offenses could result in longer incarceration periods. While the specific impact on the correctional system is indeterminate due to a lack of precise data on the prevalence of the newly penalized conduct, it is likely that prison populations and related correctional costs will rise over time.

Finally, the fiscal impact on local governments is uncertain but could include increased burdens on jails and probation systems as fewer offenders qualify for alternatives to incarceration. The expansion of sentencing and supervision provisions may lead to higher local confinement and oversight costs.

HB 1422 makes substantial and meaningful improvements to Texas’ approach to prosecuting sexual offenses and supporting survivors. It empowers victims by allowing them to authorize limited forensic DNA testing of sexual assault kits without the immediate involvement of law enforcement—an important step toward survivor-centered justice. The bill also closes a legal gap by creating the offense of continuous sexual abuse of adults, mirroring protections that already exist for child victims. It enhances penalties for serial and egregious offenders and allows courts to impose consecutive sentences for multiple sexual assault convictions, regardless of the victim’s age.

These provisions align with core liberty principles by reinforcing individual accountability, bolstering protections for victims, and ensuring the justice system addresses serious harm in a proportional and deliberate way. The bill also reflects a legitimate role for limited government in safeguarding personal safety and enforcing consequences for rights-violating conduct.

However, certain provisions—such as the broad disqualification of offenders from community supervision, deferred adjudication, and parole—limit judicial discretion in ways that may be overly rigid. These elements could benefit from clarifying amendments that restore some flexibility for judges to consider context and individual circumstances, particularly in edge cases or for non-violent, first-time offenders.

Overall, HB 1422 represents a thoughtful and commendable response to serious gaps in the law. As such, Texas Policy Research recommends that lawmakers vote YES; Amend on HB 1422 but also consider amending the bill as described above to refine its scope and preserve individualized justice.

• Individual Liberty: The bill enhances individual liberty for survivors of sexual assault by enabling limited consent for DNA testing without requiring a law enforcement report. This expands options for victims to seek clarity and evidence preservation without immediately entering the criminal system—respecting autonomy and privacy. Additionally, creating the offense of continuous sexual abuse of adults strengthens protections against egregious and repeated violations of personal autonomy. However, the bill also restricts liberty for defendants by broadly limiting eligibility for parole, community supervision, and deferred adjudication. In some cases, these blanket prohibitions may undermine due process or proportional sentencing by removing discretion from the judiciary—even in cases where rehabilitation or alternative supervision might be appropriate.
• Personal Responsibility: The bill reinforces personal responsibility by ensuring individuals who commit serious sexual offenses face appropriate consequences. It holds repeat offenders accountable through enhanced penalties, consecutive sentencing, and extended minimum prison terms, sending a clear message that repeated harm to others—especially in sexually exploitative contexts—will not be tolerated or lightly punished.
• Free Enterprise: The bill has limited direct implications for free enterprise. However, the expanded restrictions on parole and post-conviction release could impact offenders’ ability to reintegrate into the workforce. Without support for reentry or employment after incarceration, long-term consequences for economic independence and employability could follow, potentially conflicting with the principle of open economic participation.
• Private Property Rights: There is no significant effect on private property rights. The bill does not introduce eminent domain provisions or regulations affecting ownership or use of property.
• Limited Government: While the bill reflects a legitimate use of state power to protect vulnerable individuals and punish serious crimes, it also expands government control over individuals post-conviction in a manner that risks overreach. By removing judicial discretion for a wide swath of offenses, it reduces the role of courts to apply case-by-case judgment, effectively shifting power to prosecutors and the legislature. This shift may lead to unnecessarily broad or inflexible enforcement, warranting targeted amendments to restore balance.