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Utah legalizes 'free-range parenting'

FOX 10 Phoenix
U.S.
Published March 23, 2018 12:22 PM MST
Published March 23, 2018 12:22 PM MST

(FOX News) -- Utah Governor Gary Herbert signed a law Friday that legalizes a childrearing method called "free-range parenting," which encourages children to be independent.

Herbert signed into law bill SB65, which gives children the freedom to develop self-sufficiency.

The law states that children must be mature enough to handle each situation -- though it does not specify an age. It will go into effect May 8.

The bill determines situations that children can engage in that would not be considered parental neglect: traveling to and from school or recreational facilities, playing outside or sitting in a car unattended, provided safe conditions.

"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," Sen. Lincoln Fillmore, who sponsored the bill, tells Yahoo Lifestyle.

Read more about this story on FOXNews.com.