TDCJ seeks $298M for prison air-conditioning projects

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) has submitted a request to the state Legislature for $298 million over a two-year period to address dangerous heat conditions in unair-conditioned prisons. 

The funding would contribute to adding more than 15,700 air-conditioned beds to lockups across the state. However, despite framing the request as a major step in the right direction, the request pales in comparison to the projected billion-dollar investment needed to adequately equip prisons with enough air conditioning to resolve the overheating crisis. 

The TDCJ filed a two-phase plan in June outlining efforts needed to install air conditioning at all prisons across Texas, noting that addressing deadly conditions would cost more than $1.5 billion. Dedicated funding would require $774 million in the 2028 through 2029 state budget, followed by another $730.7 million over the subsequent two years. 

By comparison, the requested $298 million falls short of the department’s own projected benchmarks to secure the health and safety of its prison population. Around two-thirds of the state’s 104 prisons currently do not have enough air conditioning. However, although the department projected a $1.5 billion investment, it indicated those numbers were aspirational rather than a full-fledged commitment. 

Although the request has received criticism, the TDCJ asserts that it is a strong first step toward resolving its ongoing air conditioning issues and acquiring enough air-conditioned beds. The department is balancing its budget to accommodate advancements in air conditioning infrastructure while accommodating other needs, including prison population growth. 

Compared to air conditioning budget requests in the previous legislative session, the department’s latest is more than double than what it has sought previously for installing air conditioning equipment. The TDCJ has also included a $591.8 million request to build expansion prison dorms with climate control. While expanding available dorms does not necessarily address ongoing air conditioning issues, they would result in more than 21,000 additional cool beds. 

Fundamentally addressing the ongoing heat crisis in Texas prisons, as indicated by the projected $1.5 billion cost, will be both expensive and challenging to deploy. Many state lockups are old, prone to contraband searches and located in in rural areas, tacking on additional hurdles for delivery and installation. The TDCJ is also now competing with the state’s sudden influx of data centers for equipment availability as well as a recent state directive to cut 3 percent from their budget requests ahead of the next legislative session. 

In the meantime, while the TDCJ works to secure the funding needed to adequately implement air conditioning reform, the department is employing strategies to mitigate rising temperatures. These include providing cooled respite rooms, water, cold showers, fans, cooling towels and using a system to prioritize inmates prone to heat illnesses. 

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