Rep. O'Neill Comments on Education Funding in Governor's Proposed Budget - 2/23/2010
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How state government plans to fund public schools under Governor Rendell’s state budget proposal was the topic of a House Appropriations Committee hearing Tuesday in the state capitol. Rep. Bernie O’Neill (R-Bucks), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, said he feels the governor’s plan to flat-line funding for many local education programs on one hand, while increasing the overall basic education subsidy is a no-win situation for many school districts. Mike Davies Reports - Story and Bite available.
Rep. O'Neill Comments on Governor's Plan to Impose Graduation Competency Assessment Tests - 4/2/2009
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House Lawmakers are raising concern over the Rendell administration’s plan to impose a new series of graduation exams for Pennsylvania high school students without legislative approval. Republican members of the Education and Policy Committees held a hearing on the Keystone Exams proposal and questioned administration officials about the necessity of implementing additional exams and how much this new testing mandate would cost taxpayers. Rep. Bernie O’Neill (R-Bucks) said the new testing plan imposed in this manner will just force schools to add materials to their curriculums that give better test results, not better education for students. Chuck Nichols Reports- Story and Bite available.
Rep. O'Neill Comments on Legislation to Update Dog Laws - 2/10/2009
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The PA House is considering legislation that would make changes to dog laws in the Commonwealth. Rep. Bernie O’Neill of Bucks County said House Bill 39 is an effort to give some teeth to the updated animal cruelty laws passed by the legislature last fall. Chuck Nichols Reports - Story and Bite available.
Rep. O'Neill Comments on New Dog Law - 10/28/2008
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Legislation to strengthen Pennsylvania's dog laws and introduce new standards of care and treatment for dogs in commercial breeding kennels was signed into law on Monday in Bucks County. Rep. Bernie O'Neill joined other lawmakers at the Center for Animal Referral and Emergency Services in Langhorne for the bill signing ceremony and voiced his support for the new law. Mike Davies Reports - Story and Bite available.
Rep. O'Neill Comments on Gov's Plan to Institute Graduation Testing Requirements - 10/7/2008
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Lawmakers are calling for a the Rendell administration to put a hold on efforts to institute new graduation testing requirements for Pennsylvania’s 501 schools districts without legislative input or approval. Rep. Bernie O’Neill of Bucks County, a member of the House Education Committee joined other legislators in sending a letter to the Governor this week questioning the need for the exams and the wisdom of spending $50 million to develop a new student testing system at a time when Commonwealth revenues are shrinking. Mike Davies Reports - Story and Bite available.
Rep. O'Neill Calls for Quick Action on Bill To Toughen Penalties on Straw Purchasers of Guns in PA - 9/25/2008
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In light of continuing gun crimes in southeastern Pennsylvania lawmakers are calling for quick action on a bill that attacks straw gun purchases and lying to get a gun. Rep. Bernie O’Neill of Bucks County said time is running out to approve legislation that would improve enforcement and increase penalties for those who attempt to illegally purchase firearms. Mike Davies reports...story and bite available.
Rep. O'Neill Comments on Budget Passage - 7/4/2008
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Pennsylvania lawmakers worked through the July 4th holiday to complete a new state budget. The $28 billion spending plan limited growth in state spending to below the rate of inflation and held the line of any new taxes or fees at the state level. Rep. Bernie O’Neill (R-Bucks) said he is pleased that negotiations yielded a greater funding increase for public schools than had been proposed in the Governor’s plan. Chuck Nichols Reports – Story and Cut Available
Rep. O'Neill Says Budget Deal Helps Many PA Schools Hurt by Earlier Spending Plans - 6/30/2008
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Lawmakers negotiated through the weekend with administration officials in the state capitol to reach a handshake agreement on a $28.2 Billion dollar budget plan early on Monday morning. Rep. Bernie O’Neill of Bucks County said the budget deal ensures that school districts that were facing small increases under the original plan will now receive a more equitable share of new education funding from the state. Mike Davies reports...story and bite available.
Rep. O'Neill Says Philly Schools Get Special Consideration Under the Rendell Administration's New School Funding Formula - 6/17/2008
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Lawmakers are continuing to react to a new education funding formula put forth by the Rendell Administration that is seen as less than fair to many of the state’s 501 school districts. Rep. Bernie O’Neill of Bucks County said the new formula offers special consideration to Philadelphia and urban schools and does not offer real funding equity to the other school districts in the state. of the new education funding in the plan. Republican lawmakers are supportive of increased funding for students, but are concerned that those school districts that are short funded by the Rendell administration will be forced to increase the burden on local taxpayers. Mike Davies reports... story and bite available.
Rep. O'Neill Comments on Education Funding Legislation - 6/4/2008
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Legislation that would implement a new basic education subsidy plan designed to improve public school funding in Pennsylvania was approved this week by the House Education Committee. The funding proposal would supply an additional $291 million to Pennsylvania schools in this year’s state budget as the first part of a six year effort to help school districts. Rep. Bernie O’Neill of Bucks County, a member of the House Education Committee said the new formula was written by Rendell administration appointees and is not true to the findings of the Education Costing-Out Study commissioned last year by lawmakers. Chuck Nichols Reports – Story and Cut available.