Dennis M. O'Brien
| Dennis O'Brien | |
|---|---|
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| Member of the Philadelphia City Council from the At-Large District |
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In office January 2, 2012 – January 3, 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Frank Rizzo, Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Al Taubenberger |
| 137th Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives | |
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In office January 2, 2007 – November 30, 2008 |
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| Preceded by | John Perzel |
| Succeeded by | Keith McCall |
| Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 169th district |
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In office January 5, 1983 – January 2, 2012 |
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| Preceded by | John Swaim |
| Succeeded by | Ed Neilson |
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In office January 4, 1977 – November 30, 1980 |
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| Preceded by | Stephen Wodjak |
| Succeeded by | John Swaim |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
June 22, 1952 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Spouse(s) | N/A |
| Children | Dennis, Jr.; Brendan; Joseph |
| Residence | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Dennis Michael "Denny" O'Brien (b. Philadelphia, 1952) is an American Republican Party politician who served as the 137th Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 2007 to 2008. First elected in 1976, he represented the 169th Legislative District in the state House for the most part of four decades. O'Brien also served as a member of the Philadelphia City Council for one term, from 2012 to 2016.
He is a graduate of Archbishop Ryan High School and La Salle University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in business administration. He is married to the former Bernadette M. Benson; they have three sons, Dennis Jr., Brendan and Joseph.
O'Brien was first elected to the Pennsylvania House in 1976 and served two terms before giving up his seat in 1980 to challenge fellow Republican Charles Dougherty for his congressional seat. O'Brien lost to Dougherty by 480 votes in the primary. In 1982 O'Brien ran for his old seat in the Pennsylvania House and won. He was re-elected in every succeeding election he contested.
Prior to his elevation to the Speakership, he served as chairman of the House Committees on Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness, Health and Human Services, Consumer Affairs, Judiciary. Upon leaving the Speaker's office, he served as chairman of the Committee on Children and Youth.
Inspired by his late nephew Christopher's diagnosis, O'Brien has been an advocate for autism issues and founded the Pennsylvania Legislative Autism Caucus. In over 20 years, he has proposed a number of bills requiring mandatory school and health care funding for patients. In addition, he worked with Governor Ed Rendell to organize a Bureau of Autism Services within the state's Office of Developmental Programs. In 2008, one of his bills, requiring insurance companies to cover autism treatment, was passed and signed into law.
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