Sen. Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) speaks on the Senate floor on Dec. 1. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]   

Sen. Scott Bennett, a Democrat from Champaign and an eight-year veteran of the Illinois Senate, died Friday at age 45, according to WCIA-TV. 

Thursday’s City Club of Chicago panel on mental health resources for youth. [City Club of Chicago livestream] 

Illinois leaders used the backdrop of a City Club of Chicago panel Thursday to discuss the importance of mental health access for youth and touted legislation signed by Gov. JB Pritzker earlier this year that aims to ensure schools provide information on mental health resources. 

Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield) gives a farewell speech in the House on Dec. 1. [Blue Room Stream]   

One of Springfield’s more popular lawmakers will be leaving his House position to take a lobbying job at the end of the month, but Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield) is at peace with his decision as he embarks on a new chapter in his political career.  

Gov. JB Pritzker said he believes the state’s cannabis license rollout is starting to move forward as he celebrated the opening a social equity cannabis dispensary Wednesday. Pritzker also said he supports Rep. Bob Morgan’s (D-Deerfield) bill banning “assault weapons” and hopes to sign a proposal in the coming months.  

Chelsea Laliberte Barnes of the Illinois Harm Reduction and Recovery Commission speaks at a news conference in Springfield last week. [Blue Room Stream]   

Lawmakers and drug overdose prevention advocates are calling attention to the dangers of fentanyl-laced drugs and asking the General Assembly to consider action to fight drug addiction and overdoses.  

The Illinois State Board of Elections in Springfield.    

The Illinois State Board of Elections met Monday to certify the results of the 2022 general election and cement victories for candidates who won their races on Nov. 8.  

Sen. Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington) speaks on the Senate floor Thursday. [Blue Room Stream]   

Sen. Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington) announced Monday he would retire from the Illinois Senate at the conclusion of the 102nd General Assembly after a decade representing central Illinois.   

Illinois lawmakers advanced a portion of Tuesday’s deal on paying down the unemployment insurance trust fund deficit. And lawmakers sent Gov. JB Pritzker a revenue bill that includes tax incentives for electronic vehicles.  

Rep. Bob Morgan (D-Highland Park) is pictured on July 5 after visiting the scene of the July 4 mass shooting with Vice President Kamala Harris. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]   

Illinois lawmakers will consider a plan when they return to Springfield in January that could make Illinois the ninth state to ban assault weapons half a year after seven people were killed and dozens were injured from a mass shooting at the Highland Park Independence Day parade.  

Sen. Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) speaks in support of the SAFE-T Act. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]   

Illinois Democrats passed through a series of changes to the controversial SAFE-T Act and its Pretrial Fairness Act component, which ends cash bail in Illinois on Jan. 1, but tensions over the new law remain.