Senate Bill 715 aims to enhance climate control in state correctional institutions and county jails by establishing specific temperature regulations and reporting requirements. The bill mandates that the warden or superintendent of state correctional institutions, as well as the sheriff or person in charge of county jails, ensure that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems are operational, maintaining temperatures between 68 and 76 degrees Fahrenheit at all times. Additionally, temperature readings must be recorded in common areas and random cells during extreme outdoor temperatures, with the Department of Corrections required to report this data to the legislature annually.

The bill outlines a phased implementation plan for these temperature requirements, with one-third of state correctional institutions to comply by May 1, 2029, another third by May 1, 2031, and the final third, along with county jails, by May 1, 2035. It also includes appropriations totaling $65 million for the installation and operation of necessary climate control systems, along with additional funding for staffing to support these updates. The existing appropriation for institutional heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems is repealed, and new provisions are created to ensure compliance and reporting.