Scott Michael Bennett (July 16, 1977 – December 9, 2022) was an American attorney, politician and Democratic member of the Illinois Senate representing the 52nd district from 2015 to 2022.

Early life

Bennett was born in

Gibson City, Illinois Gibson City is a city in Ford County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,407 at the 2010 census. History The site of Gibson City was purchased and platted by Jonathan B. Lott in 1869. In 1870, Lott built a home and a post office there, ...

, and moved to Champaign to attend law school. He was married with two children. Bennett worked as a prosecutor with the Office of the Champaign County State's Attorney.

Illinois Senate

Bennett was appointed to fill the vacancy left by

Mike Frerichs Michael W. Frerichs (; born July 28, 1973) is an American politician serving his third term as the State Treasurer of Illinois, after first taking office on January 12, 2015. Before being elected treasurer, he was a Democratic member of the I ...

, who resigned from representing the 52nd legislative district after he was elected

Treasurer of Illinois The Treasurer of Illinois is an elected official of the U.S. state of Illinois. The office was created by the Constitution of Illinois. Current Occupant The current Treasurer of Illinois is Democrat Mike Frerichs. He was first elected to head ...

in the 2014 general election. The 52nd district, located in

Central Illinois Central Illinois is a region of the U.S. state of Illinois that consists of the entire central third of the state, divided from north to south. Also known as the ''Heart of Illinois'', it is characterized by small towns and mid-sized cities. Agri ...

, includes the towns of

Champaign Champaign ( ) is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 88,302 at the 2020 census. It is the tenth-most populous municipality in Illinois and the fourth most populous city in Illinois outside the Chicago metropo ...

, Danville, Georgetown, Gifford, Rantoul, Thomasboro, and

Urbana __NOTOC__ Urbana can refer to: Places Italy *Urbana, Italy United States *Urbana, Illinois **Urbana (conference), a Christian conference formerly held in Urbana, Illinois *Urbana, Indiana * Urbana, Iowa *Urbana, Kansas * Urbana, Maryland *Urbana, ...

. His uncle

Thomas M. Bennett } Thomas Michael Bennett (born June 8, 1956) is a Republican member-designate of the Illinois Senate from the 53rd district. The 53rd district includes all or portions of Bureau, Ford, Grundy, Iroquois, LaSalle, Marshall, McLean, Peoria, Putn ...

also served in the Illinois General Assembly. Stacy Bennett succeeded Scott Bennett for the remainder of the 102nd General Assembly. On January 7, 2023, Paul Faraci, the Champaign Township Assessor, was appointed to fill the vacancy in the 103rd General Assembly created by Bennett's death.

Committee assignments

During the 102nd General Assembly, Senator Bennett was a member of the following Illinois Senate committees: * Agriculture Committee (SAGR) * (Chairman of) Appropriations - Higher Education Committee (SAPP-SAHE) * Executive Appointments Committee (SEXA) * (Chairman of) Higher Education Committee (SCHE) * Judiciary Committee (SJUD) * Judiciary - Business Entities Committee (SJUD-SJBE) * (Chairman of) Judiciary - Privacy Committee (SJUD-SJPR) * Labor Committee (SLAB) * Redistricting Committee (SRED) * (Chairman of) Redistricting - East Central & Southeast Illinois Committee (SRED-SRSE) * Redistricting - Southern Illinois Committee (SRED-SRSI) * Redistricting - West Central Illinois Committee (SRED-SRWC) * State Government Committee (SGOA) * (Chairman of) Unemployment Insurance (SLAB-SLUI)

Death

Bennett died from complications of a

brain tumor A brain tumor occurs when abnormal cells form within the brain. There are two main types of tumors: malignant tumors and benign (non-cancerous) tumors. These can be further classified as primary tumors, which start within the brain, and seconda ...

Urbana, Illinois Urbana ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Champaign County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, Urbana had a population of 38,336. As of the 2010 United States Census, Urbana is the 38th-most populous municipality in Illinois. It ...

, on December 9, 2022, at the age of 45.'Obituary: Scott Bennett,' ''Ford County Chronicle (Illinois), December 14, 2022

References

External links

Senator Scott Bennett (D) 52nd District
at the 98th Illinois General Assembly **By session
98th
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bennett, Scott M. 1977 births 2022 deaths Neurological disease deaths in Illinois Deaths from brain cancer in Illinois Democratic Party Illinois state senators Illinois lawyers People from Champaign, Illinois Illinois State University alumni University of Illinois College of Law alumni 21st-century American legislators People from Gibson City, Illinois 21st-century Illinois politicians