Too much heat, not enough funding: State of Texas defends lack of prison A/C in federal court

Texas prisons chief says he wants to install air conditioning in every state lockup.

He says he needs more money — way more — to finish the job.

Prison officials say they have to deal with the funding need and logistical issues.

Two-thirds of Texas prisons lack full A/C, and the temperature indoors can top 100 degrees .

The Texas prison agency has added almost 9,000 air conditioned beds to the system in the last six years .

As part of the 2018 settlement, the agency’s medical providers created a system to designate which inmates should be guaranteed air conditioned housing.

More than 12,000 inmates now have one of these “heat sensitivity scores,” officials testified.

Prison officials were also hesitant to acknowledge heat-related deaths.

Abigail Carter , an assistant attorney general representing Collier and the agency, said the temperature must have been taken down incorrectly by a staff member. “This is not a mistake. This is a fabricated document,” Pitman said. He said it raised serious questions about the reliability of the agency’s records. “Somebody needs to look into this.” Collier, sitting in the courtroom, indicated he would..