According to the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), HB 502 is not expected to have a significant fiscal impact on the State of Texas. The bill's provisions, which expand confidentiality protections for victims of certain offenses, can be implemented using existing resources within the responsible state agencies. These include the Office of Court Administration and the Department of Public Safety, both of which are equipped to handle the adjustments without requiring additional appropriations or staffing increases​.

Similarly, the bill is not projected to impose any significant fiscal burden on local governments. The anticipated procedural updates—likely involving law enforcement, court clerks, or prosecutorial offices—are considered manageable under current operational frameworks. Local jurisdictions already engaged in safeguarding victim identities for related crimes are presumed to have the infrastructure and protocols in place to absorb the changes proposed in HB 502​.

Overall, the fiscal implications of the bill are minimal, with no expected need for new funding, infrastructure, or staffing. The legislative intent is to extend existing victim confidentiality protections to a broader but still narrowly defined group, minimizing fiscal complexity while maximizing privacy benefits.

HB 502 makes a targeted yet meaningful amendment to the Code of Criminal Procedure by extending confidentiality protections and pseudonym eligibility to victims of invasive visual recording and indecent assault—offenses of an intensely personal nature that can cause lasting psychological harm. Currently, victims of these crimes are not permitted to use pseudonyms in legal records, even though victims of similar offenses such as sexual assault or stalking already benefit from such provisions. This disparity in the law has been shown to cause additional emotional distress and deter victims from cooperating in prosecutions, as exemplified by a recent case out of Travis County involving a woman secretly filmed at work while pumping breast milk​.

By allowing these victims the option to protect their identities, HB 502 not only ensures more equitable treatment under the law but also promotes increased participation in the criminal justice system. This directly advances the principle of individual liberty, as it enhances the right to privacy and personal security for victims navigating public legal proceedings. It also aligns with limited government principles, as it makes efficient use of existing procedural frameworks without expanding governmental power or cost—confirmed by the Legislative Budget Board's finding of no significant fiscal impact.

HB 502 is a clear, well-justified measure that corrects an oversight in current law and serves public safety, justice, and liberty without fiscal or administrative burden. As such, Texas Policy Research recommends that lawmakers vote YES on HB 502.

• Individual Liberty: The bill directly enhances individual liberty by protecting the privacy of victims of invasive visual recording and indecent assault. By allowing these victims to use pseudonyms in public records—just as victims of stalking currently can—it upholds their autonomy and dignity within the justice system. This is particularly vital in offenses involving sensitive or intimate violations, where public disclosure of a victim’s identity can lead to retraumatization or deter them from seeking justice.

• Personal Responsibility: While not directly aimed at promoting personal responsibility, the bill reinforces the state's obligation to treat all victims equitably and compassionately. Indirectly, it could encourage more victims to participate in legal proceedings, which in turn supports a justice system where offenders are held accountable. This helps reinforce a culture of responsibility within legal and civic structures.

• Free Enterprise: There are no direct or indirect effects on markets, economic freedoms, or business regulations. The bill’s scope is limited to procedural criminal law and does not intersect with economic activity or commercial enterprise.

• Private Property Rights: The bill does not involve the use, regulation, or transfer of private property, nor does it create any new claims or encroachments upon property rights. Its scope remains within procedural protections for individuals in the criminal justice context.

• Limited Government: The bill aligns well with the principle of limited government. It makes a modest, narrowly focused amendment that improves the protection of individual rights without expanding state powers, creating new bureaucracies, or imposing significant administrative or financial burdens. In fact, the Legislative Budget Board notes that the bill’s implementation can be handled with existing resources, further affirming its limited footprint.

• SB 487 (Same As)