# Texas Prisons to Cool by 2029 in Legal Battle

> Texas appeals federal order to air condition all prisons by 2029, citing funding and timeline challenges.
- Title: Texas Prisons to Cool by 2029 in Legal Battle | Shortify
- Summary: Texas appeals federal order to air condition all prisons by 2029, citing funding and timeline challenges. Texas has appealed a federal court order requiring…
- Keywords: texas, prisons, air conditioning, federal court, texas department of criminal justice, texas appeals court, climate control, prison conditions, legal battle, funding, news, local
- Source: The Texas Tribune — https://feeds.texastribune.org/link/16799/17494462/texas-prison-air-conditioning-lawsuit-appeal
- Author: Alex Nguyen
- Published: 2026-10-12T10:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: texas, prisons, air conditioning, federal court, texas department of criminal justice, texas appeals court, climate control, prison conditions, legal battle, funding, news, local
## Texas Appeals Federal Order
Texas has appealed a federal judge’s order requiring all state prisons to be climate controlled by 2030 to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
## State Requests Order Suspension
The state asked U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman to suspend his order to avoid disrupting Texas Department of Criminal Justice operations during the appeal.
## TDCJ Plans Air Conditioning
Texas Department of Criminal Justice plans to air condition all prisons but has not set a deadline, estimating the effort would cost $1.5 billion.
## Judge’s Ruling on Heat Conditions
Judge Robert Pitman ruled that extreme heat in Texas prisons likely violates constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment.
## Current Climate Control Status
As of October 1, just over a third of Texas prisons were fully climate controlled, leaving around 90,000 incarcerated Texans without air conditioning.
## TDCJ’s Appeal Arguments
TDCJ claims it is difficult to meet the legal standard for deliberate indifference and that halting the order would not substantially harm inmates.
## TDCJ’s 2028 Projection
TDCJ anticipates having 90,000 cool beds in 2028, leaving around 60,000 inmates without air conditioning as prison population exceeds 150,000.
## Plaintiffs’ Response
Plaintiffs’ attorneys say TDCJ should prioritize making prisons more humane rather than fighting the court order.
## Budget Discrepancy
TDCJ proposed $298 million for climate control but plaintiffs argue expansion dorms do not equate to direct air conditioning spending.
## Key takeaway

Texas has appealed a federal court order requiring all state prisons to be climate controlled by 2029, claiming the timeline would disrupt critical operations and funding.