Overview
- The bench trial opened Monday in Austin with plaintiffs pointing to five suspected heat-related deaths over the last two summers and the state disputing heat as a cause.
- Plaintiffs asked the judge to order systemwide air conditioning by the end of 2029 with set milestones, and the defense said the case cannot meet the law’s high bar for deliberate indifference.
- As of March 25, TDCJ reported 52,438 cooled beds and said it expects 70,000 by the end of summer 2027.
- Lawmakers approved $118 million that the agency says will add 18,000 beds, compared with an agency estimate of more than $1.1 billion to cool every unit and about $20 million a year to run them.
- More than 80,000 people still live in units without AC in most housing areas, and experts testified that failing to record body temperature in deaths can mask heat’s role.