The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has requested $298 million to add roughly 15,700 air-conditioned prison beds; combined with a separate $591.8 million plan this could yield more than 21,000 cooled beds. Advocates, who have sued to force full-system cooling by 2029, say the request is insufficient given documented heat illnesses and past heat-related deaths. TDCJ cites interim measures and budget constraints while the court considers whether extreme indoor temperatures are unconstitutional.
Texas Seeks $298M to Add 15,700 AC Prison Beds as Advocates Urge Full Cooling
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The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) has asked lawmakers for $298 million to install more than 15,700 air-conditioned prison beds — part of a broader, multi-year effort that advocates say still falls short of what's needed to protect people in custody from extreme summer heat.
What TDCJ Is Proposing
TDCJ told The Texas Tribune the $298 million request, together with a separate $591.8 million proposal to build climate-controlled expansion dorms, could create more than 21,000 cooled beds. Still, nearly two-thirds of Texas' 104 prison facilities currently lack full air conditioning.
Funding Timeline And Dispute
In a June court filing, TDCJ outlined a two-phase plan to air-condition every facility, estimating $774 million for the 2028–29 budget cycle and another $730.7 million for the following two years. But the agency requested only $298 million for the immediate two-year budget — a gap that inmate advocates say fails to treat the heat crisis as urgent.
"This is more deliberate indifference," said Erica Grossman, an attorney for the plaintiffs. "And it will lead to more completely preventable inmate deaths in the extreme heat every year."
Health Risks, Legal Fight, And Interim Measures
Advocates have sued to require the state to cool all prisons by the end of 2029; U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman is weighing whether facilities that top 100 degrees indoors in summer must be immediately cooled. TDCJ disputes plaintiffs' claims that at least 10 inmates died of heat-related causes from 2023–2025, saying some fatalities resulted from overdoses or other conditions. Court records do show at least 23 heat-related deaths in Texas prisons from 1998–2012.
TDCJ reports more than 150 cases of heat-related illness among inmates and staff since 2022, and thousands of heat-related grievances have been filed. The agency points to interim measures — respite rooms, extra water, cold showers, cooling towels, fans and a heat-score system intended to identify vulnerable people — but advocates call these protections inconsistent and often inaccessible. For example, inmates qualify for a free fan only if they have under $5 in their account for 180 days.
Why This Matters
Cooling the prison system is now both a legal and political flashpoint in Texas. With estimates putting the total cost to cool every facility at around $1.5 billion, lawmakers face competing priorities such as health care, contraband detection and a rising prison population. Advocates say the scale and frequency of extreme-heat events mean access to cooling is a basic safety requirement, not a luxury.
Bottom line: The $298 million request increases cooled bed capacity, but it falls short of advocates' demands and the multi-year price tag TDCJ itself has outlined — prolonging a high-stakes dispute over whether the state must guarantee safe indoor temperatures for incarcerated people.
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