A federal judge has delivered a landmark ruling against the Texas prison system, ordering state authorities to install air conditioning in every state prison by the end of 2029 after determining that exposing inmates to extreme heat violates their constitutional rights.

The ruling, issued on September 22, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman, follows years of legal battles over dangerous temperatures inside Texas correctional facilities, where thousands of prisoners endure scorching summer conditions without adequate cooling.

In his 150-page decision, Pitman concluded that keeping incarcerated individuals in facilities without air conditioning violates the Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment.

The judge ordered the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to immediately develop and implement a comprehensive plan to install air conditioning throughout its prison system, setting December 31, 2029, as the final deadline.

Thousands of Inmates Exposed to Dangerous Heat

The ruling comes amid growing concerns about the health and safety of prisoners living in facilities where temperatures can reach dangerous levels during Texas summers.

As of September 1, only slightly more than one-third of the state’s 104 correctional facilities were fully air-conditioned, leaving nearly 90,000 incarcerated individuals without access to consistently cooled living quarters.

Evidence presented during the legal proceedings included accounts of heat-related illnesses, injuries and deaths among prisoners.

Pitman found credible evidence that extreme heat contributed to at least nine inmate deaths between 2023 and 2025, although Texas prison authorities have disputed some allegations concerning heat-related fatalities.

Texas Prison Authorities Announce Plans to Appeal

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has expressed disagreement with the ruling and confirmed its intention to appeal.

The agency maintains that it has implemented measures to protect prisoners and staff from excessive heat, including access to drinking water, cooling areas, fans and other heat-relief resources.

However, the judge determined that existing measures were insufficient to address the constitutional concerns.

State prison officials have estimated that installing air conditioning throughout the prison system could cost approximately $1.5 billion.

The decision represents a major development in the long-running legal dispute over prison conditions in Texas.

While prisoners’ rights advocates have welcomed the order, its implementation could face further legal challenges as state officials pursue their appeal.

For thousands of incarcerated individuals, the ruling establishes a court-ordered deadline for improving living conditions inside Texas prisons.