Federal Judge Orders Texas Prisons Air-Conditioned by End of 2029

U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman ruled on Sept. 22, 2026, that extreme heat in Texas Department of Criminal Justice prisons without air conditioning violates the Eighth Amendment ban on cruel and unusual punishment. His 150-page order requires the agency to install air conditioning systemwide by Dec. 31, 2029, immediately develop and implement a plan, and file progress reports every six months. When the trial began, about 37% of inmates had cool beds, leaving nearly 89,000 without; as of Sept. 1, 38 of 104 units were fully cooled. The agency has estimated the cost at about $1.5 billion. Pitman wrote that witnesses described getting sick, passing out, and finding it common to splash toilet water on themselves, adding, “These are not humane conditions.” He cited indoor temperatures above 85 degrees nearly daily from May through September, heat indexes over 130, acknowledged 2023 deaths including John Castillo at a body temperature of 107.5 degrees, and called Director Bobby Lumpkin’s failure to enact a committed plan deliberate indifference. TDCJ said it will appeal. Amanda Hernandez said the agency has robust heat mitigation and denies deliberate indifference. Advocates called the ruling a major victory; lawmakers and budget choices remain ahead.