DANVILLE – To honor the life and legacy of the late Senator Scott Bennett, State Senator Paul Faraci joined elected officials, community members, as well as friends and family of Scott Bennett at a memorial to name portions of I-74 the "Senator Scott M. Bennett Memorial Highway."

“Senator Bennett continues to be remembered as a leader in our communities who dedicated his life to serving the people of Illinois,” said Faraci (D-Champaign). “He will forever be missed, but his legacy will never be forgotten. This is one way we can continue to honor him for decades to come.”

Last spring, Faraci passed Senate Joint Resolution 32 designating I-74 from U.S. Route 45 in Champaign to the Indiana state line as the “Senator Scott M. Bennett Memorial Highway.” Today, the Illinois Department of Transportation placed signs along the interstate in his honor.

Scott Bennett joined the Senate as the unanimous choice to fill the vacancy in the 52^nd State Senate District in 2015. Since the beginning of his career, Senator Bennett dedicated his service to spurring economic development, supporting family farming, providing Illinois’ students with greater opportunities, and promoting bipartisanship across the state. As chair of the Senate’s Higher Education Committee, he was a champion for higher education facilities by advocating for funding and student rights.

Senator Bennett prioritized his service to the 52^nd State Senate District above himself, but his greatest love was for his family, his wife of 20 years, and his children. Scott Bennett sadly passed away in December 2022.

“Scott loved his family and he loved helping people,” said Illinois State Treasure Michael Frerichs. Bennett was appointed to the Senate seat held by Frerichs after he was sworn-in as Illinois State Treasurer. “His spirit of cooperation, ability to find solutions, and disarming charm served East Central Illinois well. He is greatly missed.”