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Texas prisons ordered to install air conditioning by 2029
A federal judge has ordered the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to install air conditioning in all state prisons by December 31, 2029. U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman ruled in a 150-page decision that the lack of cooling in facilities where summer temperatures regularly exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit violates the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against “cruel and unusual punishments.”
The ruling follows evidence of inmates suffering from extreme heat, including instances of illness, fainting, and deaths. Witnesses testified to desperate measures taken by inmates to cool down, such as splashing toilet water on themselves. As of late 2024, only about one-third of the agency’s 104 facilities were fully air-conditioned, leaving approximately 89,000 to 90,000 people in uncooled cells.
The TDCJ estimates the systemwide installation will cost approximately $1.5 billion. The agency has stated it will appeal the decision, maintaining that it has robust heat-mitigation efforts in place and is already working to increase the number of air-conditioned beds. The court has ordered the agency to submit progress reports every six months to ensure compliance with the 2029 deadline.
Entities
Bernie Tiede · Bobby Lumpkin · Lioness Justice Impacted Women’s Alliance · Robert Pitman · Texas · Texas Department of Criminal Justice
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Approximately 89,000 to 90,000 inmates were living in facilities without air conditioning as of late 2024/2025. internewscast.com · aframnews.com · www.upday.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] Systemwide air conditioning installation is estimated to cost approximately $1.5 billion. internewscast.com · sanangelolive.com · www.gilmermirror.com · www.houstonpublicmedia.org · www.troyrecord.com
- [● 7 SOURCES] The lack of air conditioning violates the Eighth Amendment's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. internewscast.com · sanangelolive.com · www.fox4news.com · www.gilmermirror.com · www.houstonpublicmedia.org · +2 more
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Texas Department of Criminal Justice intends to appeal the ruling. aframnews.com · www.troyrecord.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The TDCJ is required to report its installation progress to the court every six months. www.harzkurier.de · aframnews.com
- [● 9 SOURCES] The Texas Department of Criminal Justice must install air conditioning in all state prisons by December 31, 2029. internewscast.com · sanangelolive.com · aframnews.com · www.fox4news.com · www.gilmermirror.com · +4 more
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Extreme heat contributed to at least nine prison deaths between 2023 and 2025. aframnews.com
- [● 9 SOURCES] Extreme heat in Texas prisons is unconstitutional. internewscast.com · sanangelolive.com · aframnews.com · www.fox4news.com · www.gilmermirror.com · +4 more