Merrill Nelson

Nelson was born in Grantsville, UT. He was the fourth child of eight children of Ruth Nelson (née Francom) and Russell A Nelson. His mother was born in Payson, UT; his father in Tooele, UT. When Merrill was born, his father was a farmer.{{cite web | url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/deseretnews/name/russell-nelson-obituary?id=28534840 | title=RUSSELL NELSON Obituary (2009) Deseret News | website=Legacy.com }}{{cite web | url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/saltlaketribune/name/ruth-nelson-obituary?id=16233471 | title=RUTH FRANCOM NELSON Obituary (2010) the Salt Lake Tribune | website=Legacy.com }}

Nelson earned his BS in agricultural economics from Brigham Young University and his JD from J. Reuben Clark Law School. He has worked as a Supreme Court Law Clerk from 1982–83 and on the Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Appellate Procedure from 1986-87. Nelson is a member of the Utah State Bar. Nelson chairs the Guardian ad Litem Oversight Committee, and has also worked on the Fair Boundaries Coalition since 2011. He also serves as chair of the Grantsville Old Folks Sociable.{{Cite web |title=www.MerrillNelson.com |author= |date= |access-date=9 September 2022 |url= http://www.merrillnelson.com/ |quote=Served three years on the Guardian ad litem Oversight Committee appointed by Utah Judicial Council; acting chairman. Served on Utah Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Appellate Procedure. Author and presenter on constitutional issues; chapter author, "Confronting Pornography." Clerked on Utah Supreme Court. Editor of BYU Law Review. }}{{Cite web |title=Representative Nelson |author= |work=house.utleg.gov |date= |access-date=5 April 2022 |url= https://house.utleg.gov/rep/NELSOMF/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220406064217/http://house.utleg.gov/rep/NELSOMF/|archive-date=6 April 2022}}

During the 2022 legislative session, Nelson served on the Infrastructure and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee, House Health and Human Services Committee, and House Transportation Committee.{{cite web|url = http://le.utah.gov/house2/detail.jsp?i=NELSOMF|title = Merrill Nelson|publisher = Utah House of Representatives|location = Salt Lake City, Utah|accessdate = March 12, 2022|archive-date = September 20, 2017|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170920090541/http://le.utah.gov/house2/detail.jsp?i=NELSOMF|url-status = live}}

• In 2020, Nelson won 75.3% of the vote and won election once again to the Utah of House of Representatives.{{Cite web|url = https://ballotpedia.org/Merrill_Nelson|title = Merrill Nelson|last = |first = |date = |website = Ballotpedia|publisher = |access-date = March 23, 2022|archive-date = March 23, 2022|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220323202838/https://ballotpedia.org/Merrill_Nelson|url-status = live}}
• In 2018, Nelson defeated Merle Wall, Kirk Pearson, Denyse Housley Cox, and Warren Rogers with 71.4% of the vote in the general election for Utah House of Representatives District 68 on November 6.
• In 2016, Nelson won 70.81% of the vote in the Utah House of Representatives District 68 general election.
• In 2014, Nelson was unopposed for the Republican convention and won the November 4, 2014 general election due to being unopposed because Independent candidate Rett Rowley was disqualified before the election.{{Cite web|url = https://ballotpedia.org/Utah_House_of_Representatives_District_68|title = 2014 Election results|last = |first = |date = |website = Ballotpedia|publisher = |access-date = April 12, 2016|archive-date = November 9, 2018|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181109042107/https://ballotpedia.org/Utah_House_of_Representatives_District_68|url-status = live}}
• 2012 Nelson was selected from four candidates by the Republican convention to challenge District 68 incumbent Republican Representative Bill Wright in the June 26, 2012 Republican primary, winning with 1,910 votes (52.3%){{cite web |url= http://elections.utah.gov/Media/Default/Documents/Election_Results/Primary/2012%20Primary%20Canvass%20Reports.xlsx |title= 2012 Primary Canvass Reports |publisher= Lieutenant Governor of Utah |location= Salt Lake City, Utah |accessdate= January 30, 2014 |archive-date= March 4, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140304164607/http://elections.utah.gov/Media/Default/Documents/Election_Results/Primary/2012%20Primary%20Canvass%20Reports.xlsx |url-status= live }} and won the three-way November 6, 2012 General election with 9,831 votes (73.8%) against Democratic nominee Thomas Nedreberg and Constitution candidate Paul McCollaum, Jr.{{cite web |url= http://elections.utah.gov/Media/Default/2012%20Canvass/2012%20General%20Canvass%20Report.xls |title= 2012 General Canvass Report |publisher= Lieutenant Governor of Utah |location= Salt Lake City, Utah |accessdate= January 30, 2014 |archive-date= March 4, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140304164434/http://elections.utah.gov/Media/Default/2012%20Canvass/2012%20General%20Canvass%20Report.xls |url-status= live }}

• 1998 To challenge Senate District 13 incumbent Democratic Representative George Mantes, Nelson won the 1998 Republican primary, but lost the November 3, 1998 General election by 45 votes to Democratic nominee Ron Allen{{cite web |url= http://elections.utah.gov/Media/Default/Documents/Election_Results/General/1998Gen.pdf |title= 1998 General Election Results |publisher= Lieutenant Governor of Utah |location= Salt Lake City, Utah |page= 2 |accessdate= January 30, 2014 |archive-date= March 4, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140304164625/http://elections.utah.gov/Media/Default/Documents/Election_Results/General/1998Gen.pdf |url-status= live }} who had won the Democratic Primary against Senator Mantes. Allen served in the seat from 1999 until 2006.

• 2022- Representative Nelson ran [https://le.utah.gov/~2022/bills/static/HB0143.html HB 143] which increases the penalty for a second driving under the influence conviction to a class a misdemeanor under certain circumstances.{{Cite web|last=Dave|date=2022-03-03|title=H.B. 143 DUI Penalty Amendments|url=https://le.utah.gov/~2022/bills/static/HB0143.html|website=Utah State Legislature|language=en|access-date=2022-03-14|archive-date=2022-03-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220314210450/https://le.utah.gov/~2022/bills/static/HB0143.html|url-status=live}}
• 2022- Representative Nelson ran [https://le.utah.gov/~2022/bills/static/HB0344.html HB 344] which, among other things, creates a medical candor process where a health care provider may investigate an injury, or suspected injury, associated with a health care process and may communicate information about the investigation to the patient and any representative of the patient.{{Cite web|date=2022-03-03|title=H.B. 344 Utah Medical Candor Act|url=https://le.utah.gov/~2022/bills/static/HB0344.html|website=Utah State Legislature|language=en|access-date=2022-03-14|archive-date=2022-03-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220314210441/https://le.utah.gov/~2022/bills/static/HB0344.html|url-status=live}}

Nelson worked for law firm Kirton McConkie{{cite web |url=https://www.lawyerdb.org/Lawyer/Merrill-Nelson |website=LawyerDB.com |access-date=September 9, 2022 |title=Archived copy |archive-date=September 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220909180559/https://www.lawyerdb.org/Lawyer/Merrill-Nelson |url-status=live }} which represents the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints{{cite news |last1=Pitzel |first1=Mary Jo |title=Lawsuit: LDS Church officials, teacher knew of abuse but kept silent |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-child-welfare/2020/11/30/mormon-church-sued-over-not-reporting-fathers-sexual-abuse-his-children/6356979002 |access-date=September 9, 2022 |publisher=AZ Central |archive-date=September 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220909180531/https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-child-welfare/2020/11/30/mormon-church-sued-over-not-reporting-fathers-sexual-abuse-his-children/6356979002/ |url-status=live }} based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. In this capacity, one of his duties was receiving phone calls from ecclesiastical leaders through a helpline to give legal advice regarding sensitive situations.{{cite news |last1=REZENDES |first1=Michael |title=Seven years of sex abuse: How Mormon officials let it happen |url=https://apnews.com/article/Mormon-church-sexual-abuse-investigation-e0e39cf9aa4fbe0d8c1442033b894660 |access-date=September 9, 2022 |publisher=AP News |date=August 4, 2022 |archive-date=September 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220907040742/https://apnews.com/article/Mormon-church-sexual-abuse-investigation-e0e39cf9aa4fbe0d8c1442033b894660 |url-status=live }} Nelson was named in a lawsuit brought against the church, alleging that he gave legal advice to two Bishops not to report a case of sexual abuse of children to law enforcement or child protective services.{{cite news |last1=Rezendes |first1=Michael |title=Docs show Rep. Merrill Nelson advised a church bishop not to report abuse |url=https://www.kuer.org/race-religion-social-justice/2022-09-08/docs-show-rep-merrill-nelson-advised-a-church-bishop-not-to-report-abuse?fbclid=IwAR0l683EJAjHebV-_ZryPiF9G1DtX72PXEsJcQzdkDO3hTJXryM7sn6bHmY |access-date=September 9, 2022 |agency=KUER Radio |publisher=Associated Press |archive-date=2022-09-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220909180531/https://www.kuer.org/race-religion-social-justice/2022-09-08/docs-show-rep-merrill-nelson-advised-a-church-bishop-not-to-report-abuse |url-status=live }} Section 13-3620 of the Arizona Code allows clergy members (like Bishops) to choose whether reporting abuse disclosed in a confession is in the best interests of the parties involved.{{cite web | url=https://www.azleg.gov/viewdocument/?docName=https://www.azleg.gov/ars/13/03620.htm | title=View Document }}{{cite web | url=https://www.ksl.com/article/50620222/arizona-supreme-court-upholds-latter-day-saint-priest-penitent-privilege-in-sex-abuse-case | title=Arizona Supreme Court upholds Latter-day Saint priest-penitent privilege in sex abuse case }} The church asserts that, as required by Arizona law, the Bishop sought permission from the perpetrator of the abuse to report his confession to the authorities. When the perpetrator declined to grant permission, the Bishop asked both the perpetrator and his wife to report the abuse themselves, but both again refused. In April 2023, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that Arizona's clergy-privilege law properly applies to LDS Bishops.{{cite web | url=https://news.azpm.org/s/96463-arizona-court-upholds-clergy-privilege-in-child-abuse-case/ | title=Arizona court upholds clergy privilege in child abuse case - AZPM }}

{{reflist}}

• [http://le.utah.gov/house2/detail.jsp?i=NELSOMF Official page] at the Utah State Legislature
• [http://www.merrillnelson.com/ Campaign site]{{CongLinks | congbio = | votesmart = 25595 | fec = | congress = }}
• [http://ballotpedia.org/Merrill_Nelson Merrill Nelson] at Ballotpedia
• [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/uniquecandidate.phtml?uc=118934 Merrill Nelson] at the National Institute on Money in State Politics

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nelson, Merrill}}

Category:1955 births

Category:Living people

Category:Brigham Young University alumni

Category:J. Reuben Clark Law School alumni

Category:Republican Party members of the Utah House of Representatives

Category:People from Tooele, Utah

Category:Utah lawyers

Category:21st-century members of the Utah Legislature

Category:People from Grantsville, Utah