VIDEO: After more than a decade of relentless efforts, the Pittsville Fire Department’s perseverance has finally paid off. On Friday, at Pittsville Elementary School, Governor Tony Evers signed Assembly Bill 917 into law, marking a significant milestone for the community.
The legislation, now known as 2023 Wisconsin Act 271, prohibits the sale of counterfeit or unsafe lighters.
Chief Jerry Minor of the Pittsville Fire Department has worked towards this law for over a decade.
“We went to I don’t know how many testimonies over the past 16 years, and association meetings. We took any chance we could get to sell the idea,” Minor said.
The inspiration for the bill stemmed from a tragic incident in 2008, where a local child died in a house fire, which firefighters believed to have been caused by a lighter, possibly one with toy-like features.
Evers emphasized the importance of safeguarding children from such dangers.