Assembly Bill 734 mandates that state correctional institutions and county jails maintain specific temperature ranges within their facilities, ensuring that temperatures do not fall below 68 degrees Fahrenheit or exceed 76 degrees Fahrenheit. The bill requires the warden or superintendent of these institutions, as well as the county sheriff or person in charge of county jails, to ensure that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems are operational. Additionally, temperature readings must be recorded in common areas and two random cells during extreme outdoor temperatures (below 10 degrees or above 90 degrees Fahrenheit). The Department of Corrections (DOC) is tasked with reporting this temperature data to the legislature annually.

To facilitate these requirements, the bill provides a total of $65 million in continuing appropriations for the installation and operation of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, with an initial allocation of $500,000 for a report and $750,000 for additional staff to support these updates. The implementation of these temperature regulations will occur in phases, with one-third of state correctional institutions required to comply by May 1, 2029, another third by May 1, 2031, and the final third, along with county jails, by May 1, 2035. The bill also includes provisions for the DOC to prioritize modifications and explore interim solutions for inmate comfort before the deadlines.