For parents in Utah, it is now legal for their children to walk or bike to and from school without an accompanying adult. They can also let their kids play outside unsupervised, and be allowed to stay at home unattended.

These newfound freedoms are the result of the "Free-Range Parenting Bill," unanimously passed by the Utah legislature and recently signed into law by Utah governor, Gary R. Herbert. Utah's law is said to be the first of its kind the first of its kind in the nation.

State officials and lawmakers told the Washington Post that authorities in Utah were "not in the business" of arresting parents who allowed their children to roam freely, but lawmakers felt compelled to pass the legislation after Child Protective Service in other states opened criminal cases against parents who did.