Federal judge orders Texas to air condition all prisons by the end of 2029
3 hours ago
- A federal judge ordered Texas to air condition all state prisons by the end of 2029, with an estimated cost of $1.5 billion.
- The ruling found that extreme heat in uncooled Texas prisons violates the Eighth Amendment's protection against cruel and unusual punishment.
- The judge cited 'deliberate indifference' by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) for failing to implement a meaningful plan despite evidence of injuries and deaths.
- TDCJ plans to appeal, arguing it has robust heat mitigation efforts, but currently only about one-third of its 104 facilities are fully air conditioned.
- The order requires TDCJ to submit status reports every six months, with the first due March 22, 2027.
- Funding disputes remain: TDCJ's budget request for air conditioning is far less than what it told the court was possible, and state lawmakers have repeatedly declined to fund full installation.
- Inmate advocates and plaintiffs celebrated the ruling as a historic victory that will save lives, while stressing the need to ensure the timeline is met.
- Heat-related deaths in Texas prisons are disputed: TDCJ acknowledges at least 23 deaths from 1998–2012, but advocates say at least 10 more occurred from 2022–2025, and the judge found credible evidence of nine deaths from 2023–2025.
- Current mitigation strategies (cooled respite rooms, water, fans) were deemed insufficient and not always accessible, and the judge noted even non-fatal heat creates 'degrading, inhumane conditions'.