Prisoner news
The gist
A federal judge ordered Texas to air condition all state lockups by the end of 2029.
Two-thirds of Texas inmates lack AC, so the ruling could reshape prison conditions.
How it unfolded
- 2024A coalition of prisoner advocacy groups sued the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, alleging the state's jailer ignored or even hid some heat-related deaths in prisons.
- 2026The case went to trial earlier this year ahead of the order from Pitman.
- Sep 22, 2026A federal judge's ruling, released Tuesday, ordered Texas to air condition all of the state's lockups by the end of 2029.