A federal civil rights case in Austin, Texas, seeks to compel the state to install air-conditioning in all state-run prison housing to address extreme indoor heat, aiming to set a nationwide standard.

The lawsuit targets every inmate housing area in every state-run facility, representing a sweeping push for cooling across the system.

Texas officials acknowledge that high indoor temperatures have caused staff illnesses and injuries and may have contributed to inmate deaths in 2023.

Plaintiffs include advocacy groups for current inmates who argue that the lack of cooling constitutes cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment.

Texas has the largest prison population in the country, and many facilities lack air-conditioning, with indoor temperatures regularly exceeding 100 degrees in hot summers.

The trial before U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman represents a comprehensive effort to force air-conditioning across the entire Texas prison system.