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	Senator O’Neill Will Ask Voters For A Third Term


	Valley Breeze

	LINCOLN - State Sen. Edward O’Neill announced that he will be seeking a third term at the General Assembly as the only member who has no party affiliation. O’Neill said in a statement that he may be best known for his leadership in getting legislation passed that supports families with members with autism and his “fiscal restraint and distaste for new taxes.” He is a member of the Senate Finance Committee, Education Committee, and Government Oversight Committee. He also co-chairs the joint legislative committee on ebooks and new technology applications in the classroom. .


	Governor Chafee Signs O’Neill’s Autism Bills Into Law Pawtucket Times July 11, 2012

LINCOLN- State Senator Edward J. O’Neill (Independent - District 17; Lincoln, N. Smithfield, N. Providence) lauded the signing of two bills by Gov. Lincoln Chafee last week that expand medical insurance for children with autism spectrum disorders. “The two insurance bills signed into law last week by Governor Chafee, coupled with the original bill passed last year, close the loop regarding coverage for those with autism,” said O’Neill, the Senate sponsor of all three measures.
The two bills signed by Chafee this week provide credentialing for providers and coverage for psychological, psychiatric, and pharmacology services.

State Rep. Pete Palumbo (D-Dist. 16, Cranston) sponsored the measure in the House. The first bill provides basic coverage for services up to age 15 and has a strong focus on early intervention.
O’Neill said one in 88 newborns is diagnosed with autism, more than half of them boys.
“This legislation has been years in the making and we owe a debt of gratitude to Representative Palumbo and his team who supported our efforts to get this done,” O’Neill said. “It is interesting that this legislation was navigated through the House by a maverick Democrat and in the Senate by an Independent, with the support of leadership.
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Sen. O’Neill Co-Chairs e-Text Commission

	Valley Breeze 1/18/2012

		RI Education Dept. Announces Grant For e-Textbook Initiative

	PROVIDENCE - Each and every student of one to-be-determined public or charter school will be equipped with a tablet or laptop for two years as a trial run for a state “paperless classroom” program that would eliminate the need for traditional textbooks, the Rhode Island Department of Education announced last week. The grant application, released Tuesday and due March 23, comes on the heels of a final report issued last week by the 14-person Special Legislative Commission to Study the Purchase and Use of Textbooks in Public Schools. The commission was created in 2010 to study the cost-effectiveness and quality of resources in the public school classroom, and is headed by co-chairs state Sen. Edward O’Neill, who sponsored the bill in the Senate, and state Rep. Joy Hearn. Full Story

RI’s Top Spending PACs

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