Rep. Bernard T. O’Neill has spent much of his life helping others -- as a public school teacher, athletic coach, club adviser, township supervisor, community volunteer and a state legislator. 

He was first elected to serve the newly formed 29th Legislative District in Bucks County in 2002, and since that time, he has dedicated his time in Harrisburg to enhancing the quality of life of Pennsylvanians by focusing on improving public education, reforming the school funding formula and school taxes, preserving open space and reducing sprawl, advancing opportunities for individuals with disabilities, and protecting the welfare of domestic animals. 

During his tenure in the state House, O’Neill has been successful in shepherding four bills into law. The first tightens the screening process for foster or adoptive parents; the second updates the state’s Liquor Code to allow a patron of a restaurant to take home an unfinished bottle of wine rather than consuming it all and risking impaired driving; the third prohibits auto insurance companies from discriminating against military reservists; and the fourth establishes a bipartisan task force to look at the costs and feasibility  associated with a state-operated, Internet-based PA Virtual High School.

During the 2009-10 legislative session, O’Neil served as co-chair of the special task force on education.  In his fifth term, O’Neill continues his service on the Education, Appropriations and Judiciary committees.  In addition, he has been appointed to the Commerce Committee.  O’Neill was also selected this session to serve as a deputy whip, where he will work in conjunction with the Republican Whip’s office to help communicate caucus positions prior to House floor debates, help monitor floor attendance and help to obtain accurate vote counts.  

Over the years, a number of concepts and issues O’Neill had prime sponsored and championed have become law. New laws to toughen penalties for the theft of rifles, boost municipal police officers’ pension plans by offering length of service increments and reviewing the funding formulas for Pennsylvania’s school districts have been based on his legislation. 

He also served on the Task Force to Connect Education to the Workplace, created by Republican Leader Sam Smith (R-Jefferson/Indiana/Armstrong), to examine Pennsylvania’s educational system to see how it can better prepare Pennsylvania’s students to one day become competent, skilled employees. O’Neill authored resulting legislation to establish a bipartisan task force to look at the costs and feasibility associated with a state-operated, Internet-based PA Virtual High School.  

O’Neill represents the House on the Governor’s Commission on Higher Education and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Bucks County Community College, a position he has held since 2005. 

Before his election to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, O’Neill was a special education teacher at William Tennent High School in the Centennial School District for more than 25 years and a migrant program consultant and counselor for the Bucks County Intermediate Unit No. 22 for six years. He also served five years on the Board of Supervisors in Warminster Township, where he was its chairman for three years. He was also a deputy state constable in Warminster Township. 

He is a graduate of William Tennent High School, and he received an associate’s degree from Bucks County Community College, a bachelor’s degree from Penn State University and a master’s degree in education from Temple University. He also performed graduate work at Penn State University, East Stroudsburg University, Wilkes College, Bloomsburg University, Marywood College, Philadelphia College of Performing Arts and Temple University. 

O’Neill is active in the community as a member of the Bucks County Association of Township Officials, Warminster Park and Recreation Conservation Board, Federal Lands Reuse Authority, Warminster Fire Department, Associated Humane Society, Bucks County Association of Retarded Citizens, Bucks County Mental Health/Mental Retardation Advisory Board, Special Olympics, Council for Exceptional Children, Bucks County Special, Centennial Education Association, Pennsylvania State Education Association, National Education Association, Masonic Blue Lodge No. 410, and the Shriners Association.