(The Centyer Square) – Scott M. Bennett, the Democratic state senator who recently ushered in changes to the end of cash bail in Illinois, has died.
The 45-year-old’s passing was confirmed by the Champaign County coroner.
“Senator Scott Bennett died at 1:15PM today at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, IL,” Duane Northrup, Champaign County coroner said in an email to The Center Square. “He died from natural causes under a physician’s care and my office has no further involvement with his death.”
The News-Gazette reported Thursday Bennett was taken to Carle Foundation Hospital earlier that morning after first responders were called to his home.
Earlier this month, Bennett was at the Illinois State Capitol busy working on amendments to the SAFE-T Act. He worked with state’s attorneys, victim advocates, pretrial fairness groups and others to get changes across the finish line. The changes included a net of offenses that would be eligible for pretrial detention.
Bennett grew up in Gibson City, graduated from Illinois State University, the University of Illinois College of Law, and was a former assistant state’s attorney for Champaign and McClean counties. He’s served in the Senate since 2015.
He is survived by his wife Stacy and two children.
