DANVILLE – To provide assistance and listen to concerns on local and state issues, State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) is hosting an Open House at his new district office in Danville.

Free and open to the public, the event is from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, June 22 at the former federal courthouse on 201 N. Vermilion Street, Danville.

CHAMPAIGN – State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) is hosting an Estate and Succession Planning Workshop with CliftonLarsonAllen Champaign County Farm Bureau and COUNTRY Financial on Wednesday, June 13.

“Estate and succession planning is essential to the process of passing a farm on to the next generation as smoothly and successfully as possible,” Bennett said. “I encourage everyone to come learn about important rules related to taxes, land transfers, incorporation and more.”

The joint session will be held at the Champaign County Farm Bureau (801 N Country Fair Drive) from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Discussions will include tax changes and issues to address, as well as considerations for succession and retirement plnning.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) issued the following statement on today’s budget vote in the Illinois Senate:

“As a legislative body, it is our responsibility to enable our youth to have a bright future in this state and to provide for the most vulnerable in our society. Today’s budget vote shows that the Illinois Senate is able to work across party lines to achieve much-needed compromise.

“The balanced budget agreement that the Senate passed sets responsible funding levels that allow us to reprioritize spending to tackle some our state’s most critical issues. In this budget, we commit to allowing social service providers to keep their doors open, increasing funding for public universities and community colleges, maintaining MAP grant funding and even creating a new tuition grant program for Illinois students.

“It’s a plan that will provide fiscal stability and certainty for families, businesses, social service providers and schools and universities in Champaign and Vermilion County.

“I’ve always believed that our state gets stronger when we empower working families, care for the most vulnerable and provide opportunities through education. I am proud to have voted for these investments today in order to move our state forward.”

The budget package now moves to the House for consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation to honor two officers and a civilian killed in a gunfight in 1979, along with another officer wounded in the battle, was adopted by the General Assembly this week.  

State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) sponsored House Joint Resolution 21, which designates the overpass where Ford County Road 200 North crosses Interstate 57 South of Paxton as the McCarter-Caisse-Vice-Hale Memorial Overpass.

“I am very proud to sponsor this legislation,” Bennett said. “Even though their service and sacrifice occurred years ago, time should not diminish the impact of their deaths and the importance of their lives.”

On April 7, 1979, the three officers and one civilian were involved in a gunfight with members of a Michigan family after a traffic stop on I-57 south of Paxton.

Illinois State Police Trooper Michael McCarter, Paxton Police Department Patrolman William Caisse and civilian, Donald Vice, were shot and killed. Larry C. Hale of the Paxton Police Department was wounded.

“I am very glad that there is now a memorial to honor these brave men who gave their lives protecting our community,” Bennett said. “My hope is that this memorial will inspire future generations of dedicated public servants as they serve and sacrifice.”