My husband, a 65-year-old inmate serving time for a DWI, is incarcerated in a prison lacking appropriate temperature controls. Each day I worry about the risk of him suffering from a heat stroke due to extreme temperatures. This fear is not unfounded as many prisoners have devastatingly died from heat strokes due to prison temperatures rising dangerously high, even up to 119 degrees. It is perplexing and heartbreaking to see that people are punished for leaving children or animals in unventilated vehicles, yet our inmates are subjected to similar dire conditions.

The right to a safe and healthy environment should not cease on imprisonment. No matter the depths of their crimes, these individuals are still humans deserving basic living conditions. When comparing inmate conditions to animal welfare regulations, it becomes painfully evident that animals are often granted better treatment.

According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), at least 20 people have died from heat in Texas prisons over the last 20 years, a statistic that highlights the urgency and gravity of this issue.

Hence, we call on lawmakers and prison officials to mandate air conditioning and heating in all areas of prisons where inmates reside. Let us value human life and dignity and ensure our penal system doesn't perpetrate inhumane conditions. We seek justice and humane treatment for all, regardless of their past actions. Please sign this petition to help provide safer living conditions for prisoners, saving valuable lives and maintaining our humanity in the process.