Utah Just Passed Americas First Free-Range Parenting Law

Utah has legalized a controversial child-rearing method known as free-range parenting that encourages the fostering of self-sufficiency in children from a young age, which is believed to be the first legislation of its kind in the United States .

The so-called free-range kids bill was signed into law by Republican Gov. Gary Herbert on Friday after the state House and Senate voted unanimously to approve the legislation.

The new law, which will take effect on May 8, specifies that it is not a crime for parents to allow kids who display maturity and good judgment to do things like walk to school alone or play outside without supervision.

An age limit was not defined, but the bills sponsors said it was left purposely open-ended so police and prosecutors can work on a case-by-case basis if abuse or neglect is suspected, according to The Associated Press .

If there are clear signs of abuse, obviously that is grounds for action, and in no way is excluded [from the law], Rep. Brad Daw (R), the bills House sponsor, told the Salt Lake Tribune .

Daw said he was convinced to pursue the legislation after seeing cases in other states of parents being investigated or even arrested for allowing their kids to do things alone. A Maryland couple made headlines in 2015 after they were accused of neglect for letting their two children aged 10 and 6 walk home without adult supervision. In 2014, a Florida mom was arrested on a felony child neglect charge for allowing her 7-year-old son to walk to a nearby park alone. (That charge was eventually dropped .)

Sen. Lincoln Filmore (R), the Utah bills chief sponsor, said he introduced the legislation to encourage more self-reliance among children.

I feel strongly about the issue because we have become so over-the-top when protecting children that we are refusing to let them learn the lessons of self-reliance and problem-solving that they will need to be successful as adults, Filmore told Yahoo Lifestyle last week.

Advocates of free-range parenting have celebrated Utahs new law.

Freedom-Loving Parents Rejoice!

Utah passes \"Free-Range Kids\" bill, unanimously. Governor signs it!#LetGrowOrg@Reasonhttps://t.co/YB1YFzAIEr pic.twitter.com/RvR1o1XJOK

Lenore Skenazy (@FreeRangeKids) March 20, 2018","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Lenore Skenazy","author_url":"https://twitter.com/FreeRangeKids","cache_age":86400,"description":"Freedom-Loving Parents Rejoice!Utah passes \"Free-Range Kids\" bill, unanimously. Governor signs it!#LetGrowOrg@Reasonhttps://t.co/YB1YFzAIEr pic.twitter.com/RvR1o1XJOK Lenore Skenazy (@FreeRangeKids) March 20, 2018\n\n","provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":479,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DYw3H6qXcAEZk1Y.jpg:large","thumbnail_width":765,"title":"Lenore Skenazy on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/FreeRangeKids/status/976215846652694534","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"life","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5ab8b3dce4b0decad04b91c7","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/utah-free-range-parenting-law_n_5ab8b3dce4b0decad04b91c7","entryTagsList":"parenting,family-and-relationships,yahoo,child,child-neglect,gary-herbert,free-range,self-sufficiency,@health_erectile,@health_ibs,@health_models","sectionSlug":"parents","deptSlug":"lifestyle","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"politics,us-news","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.parents","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":11},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5ab8b3dce4b0decad04b91c7","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Parenting ","slug":"parenting","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/parenting","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/parenting","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/parenting"},"relegenceId":3966982,"relegenceSubjectId":981826,"department":{"name":"Life","slug":"lifestyle"},"section":{"title":"Parenting","slug":"parents"},"topic":{"title":"Parenting ","slug":"parenting","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/life/topic/parenting"},{"name":"family and relationships","slug":"family-and-relationships","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/family-and-relationships","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/family-and-relationships","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/family-and-relationships"},"department":{"name":"Life","slug":"lifestyle"},"section":{"title":"Parenting","slug":"parents"},"topic":{"title":"Family","slug":"family","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/life/topic/family"},{"name":"Yahoo!","slug":"yahoo","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/yahoo","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/yahoo","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/yahoo"},"relegenceId":3531272,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Media","slug":"media"},"topic":{"title":"Yahoo!","slug":"yahoo","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/yahoo"},{"name":"child","slug":"child","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/child","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/child","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/child"},"relegenceId":4035324,"url":"https://action.news/topic/child"},{"name":"child neglect","slug":"child-neglect","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/child-neglect","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/child-neglect","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/child-neglect"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/child-neglect"},{"name":"gary herbert","slug":"gary-herbert","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/gary-herbert","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/gary-herbert","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/gary-herbert"},"relegenceId":3872208,"url":"https://action.news/topic/gary-herbert"},{"name":"free range","slug":"free-range","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/free-range","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/free-range","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/free-range"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/free-range"},{"name":"Self-sufficiency","slug":"self-sufficiency","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/self-sufficiency","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/self-sufficiency","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/self-sufficiency"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/self-sufficiency"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">

Freedom-Loving Parents Rejoice!

Utah passes "Free-Range Kids" bill, unanimously. Governor signs it!#LetGrowOrg @Reason https://t.co/YB1YFzAIEr pic.twitter.com/RvR1o1XJOK
Lenore Skenazy (@FreeRangeKids) March 20, 2018

This is wonderful news; could be a turning point in America's long slide into oversupervision of kids... let them walk to school, play in parks, without putting parents at risk of being charged with neglect. https://t.co/GtWm0huroE

Jonathan Haidt (@JonHaidt) March 21, 2018","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Jonathan Haidt","author_url":"https://twitter.com/JonHaidt","cache_age":86400,"description":"This is wonderful news; could be a turning point in America's long slide into oversupervision of kids... let them walk to school, play in parks, without putting parents at risk of being charged with neglect. https://t.co/GtWm0huroE Jonathan Haidt (@JonHaidt) March 21, 2018\n\n","provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Jonathan Haidt on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/JonHaidt/status/976289222561816576","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"life","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5ab8b3dce4b0decad04b91c7","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/utah-free-range-parenting-law_n_5ab8b3dce4b0decad04b91c7","entryTagsList":"parenting,family-and-relationships,yahoo,child,child-neglect,gary-herbert,free-range,self-sufficiency,@health_erectile,@health_ibs,@health_models","sectionSlug":"parents","deptSlug":"lifestyle","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"politics,us-news","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.parents","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":11},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5ab8b3dce4b0decad04b91c7","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Parenting ","slug":"parenting","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/parenting","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/parenting","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/parenting"},"relegenceId":3966982,"relegenceSubjectId":981826,"department":{"name":"Life","slug":"lifestyle"},"section":{"title":"Parenting","slug":"parents"},"topic":{"title":"Parenting ","slug":"parenting","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/life/topic/parenting"},{"name":"family and relationships","slug":"family-and-relationships","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/family-and-relationships","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/family-and-relationships","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/family-and-relationships"},"department":{"name":"Life","slug":"lifestyle"},"section":{"title":"Parenting","slug":"parents"},"topic":{"title":"Family","slug":"family","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/life/topic/family"},{"name":"Yahoo!","slug":"yahoo","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/yahoo","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/yahoo","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/yahoo"},"relegenceId":3531272,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Media","slug":"media"},"topic":{"title":"Yahoo!","slug":"yahoo","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/yahoo"},{"name":"child","slug":"child","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/child","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/child","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/child"},"relegenceId":4035324,"url":"https://action.news/topic/child"},{"name":"child neglect","slug":"child-neglect","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/child-neglect","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/child-neglect","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/child-neglect"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/child-neglect"},{"name":"gary herbert","slug":"gary-herbert","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/gary-herbert","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/gary-herbert","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/gary-herbert"},"relegenceId":3872208,"url":"https://action.news/topic/gary-herbert"},{"name":"free range","slug":"free-range","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/free-range","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/free-range","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/free-range"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/free-range"},{"name":"Self-sufficiency","slug":"self-sufficiency","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/self-sufficiency","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/self-sufficiency","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/self-sufficiency"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/self-sufficiency"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">

This is wonderful news; could be a turning point in America's long slide into oversupervision of kids... let them walk to school, play in parks, without putting parents at risk of being charged with neglect. https://t.co/GtWm0huroE
Jonathan Haidt (@JonHaidt) March 21, 2018

We live in a fear-infused culture in which weve lost perspective on safety, Lenore Skenazy, who coined the term free-range parenting about a decade ago, told Yahoo Lifestyle. Common activities like leaving a child in a car are often presented as though they pose enormous threats to our safety.

Yes, anything can happen. But I hate the idea that imagination becomes the basis of law, she added.

Free-range parenting is a method not without critics, however.

Arkansas tried to pass a similar free-range kids bill last year but failed after receiving pushback from critics who said it was too dangerous to leave children unsupervised.

CORRECTION: An earlier version misspelled Rep. Brad Daws surname as Draw.

Related