Miles Ahead Scholars Program: Texas Senator Borris L. Miles and HISD Launch Exciting New Program Aimed at Helping Young Boys of Color
The Miles Ahead Scholars Program is an exciting new initiative that will work toward making college attendance a reality for young, Black and brown students. Male students, in grades 9-12, are eligible to participate in the program. They will receive tutoring, character development and travel experiences to empower them to pursue academic careers at the nation’s top colleges and universities.
Bill would curtail criminal prosecutions of rent-to-own customers
Sen. Borris Miles, D-Houston, wants to restrain the practice of prosecuting people who default on rent-to-own contracts for household items like TVs and sofas. The proposal comes in the wake of an investigation of rent-to-own prosecutions by The Texas Tribune and Nerd Wallet.
Texas Senate to review chamber’s art, including Confederate paintings
“There was a time I would go to jail for challenging you as I am challenging you today in this diplomatic environment," Sen. Borris Miles, D-Houston, told Creighton, whom he described as a personal friend. “As your brother, I’m telling you the bill that you’re carrying ... is disgraceful to myself.”
This Texas program lands poor people in jail. Getting rid of it has been too complicated — but that might be changing.
Hall and Sen. Borris Miles, a Houston Democrat, have introduced a bill to repeal the program, with a temporary increase of traffic fines, but — unlike Krause’s bill — the proposal imposes no increased fees on intoxicated or unlicensed drivers.
Texas still doesn't have a law on intellectual disability and the death penalty. Will that change this year?
Thompson and state Sen. Borris Miles, another Democrat from Houston, have filed bills this session that would allow a capital murder defendant to request a hearing to determine intellectual disability before trial. Under the proposed legislation, if a judge determines the defendant is intellectually disabled — defined as having a low IQ with deficits in practical and social skills since youth — the death penalty would be taken off the table and the defendant would receive an automatic life sentence without the possibility of parole if convicted.
