Milwaukee City Wire

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers signed the bipartisan Prince Act at Hawley Environmental School, a bill named after the late Hawley kindergartener Prince McCree. The new law aims to expand public alerts for missing children, particularly for those under 10 and up to age 18 who may require assistance to find their way home. The legislation was introduced following the tragic disappearances of Prince and 10-year-old Iliana (Lily) Peters in 2022 in Chippewa Falls.

"I hope that this bill will ensure that no family in the future will have to feel this loss," expressed Gov. Evers during the signing ceremony. The law not only modifies Silver Alerts for older adults to include children but also enhances the alert system by broadcasting on highway signs, digital billboards, and interstate emergency alert systems.

Darron McCree, Prince's father, emphasized the importance of the new law by stating, "Any child that could be saved should be saved." State Senator LaTonya Johnson, a neighbor of Prince's family, highlighted the significance of the bill in providing unified resources for children statewide. "I think the importance of this bill is knowing that kids who will go to sleep tonight will be a lot safer than they were when they woke up this morning because of this bill," said Sen. Johnson.

The efforts of Senators Johnson and Jesse James, along with bipartisan support in both the Senate and Assembly, culminated in the passing of the Prince Act. Sen. Johnson reflected on the impact of Prince and Lily's tragedies, stating, "Their deaths were not in vain because they changed the trajectory of the resources that children will have statewide — unified resources, not fragmented."

The signing of the Prince Act represents a significant step towards improving the safety and well-being of children in Wisconsin, ensuring that comprehensive alerts are in place to help bring missing children back home.