Celebrate Court Ordering AC in All Texas Prisons

After years of advocacy from formerly incarcerated women and other prison-reform groups, a federal judge has ordered Texas to install air conditioning throughout its state prison system by the end of 2029!

U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman found that conditions in Texas prisons without air conditioning violate the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. Heading into the summer of 2026, roughly 88,700 incarcerated people were housed in units without air conditioning, according to the reporting you shared.

Among the groups behind the lawsuit is Lioness Justice Impacted Women’s Alliance, an organization founded by formerly incarcerated women. For years, Lioness collected accounts from incarcerated people describing the effects of extreme heat and ultimately joined the federal lawsuit alongside Texas Prisons Community Advocates and Texas Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants.

Pitman ordered the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to immediately develop and implement a plan to provide air conditioning throughout the system, with installation completed by December 31, 2029. The agency must also report its progress to the court every six months. Texas has said it plans to appeal the decision.

The ruling could ultimately affect tens of thousands of incarcerated people who currently lack air-conditioned housing. Advocates and researchers have documented heat illness, fainting, seizures, rashes, and heightened risks for people with chronic medical conditions and those taking certain medications.

Add your name to celebrate the court ruling requiring Texas to provide air conditioning throughout its prisons and enforcing constitutional protections!