Merrill Nelson | |
---|---|
Member of the
Utah House of Representatives from the 68th district | |
In office January 1, 2013 – December 31, 2022 | |
Preceded by | Bill Wright |
Succeeded by | Scott Chew |
Personal details | |
Born | Tooele, Utah | July 16, 1955
Nationality | American |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Karen Nelson [1] |
Children | 5 [1] |
Residence | Grantsville, Utah |
Alma mater |
Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School |
Profession | Lawyer |
Website |
merrillnelson |
Merrill F. Nelson [2] (born July 16, 1955 in Tooele, Utah) is an American politician and a former Republican member of the Utah House of Representatives representing District 68. [3] Merrill announced he was not seeking re-election in 2022.
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. [4] [5]
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. [6] [7]
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. [8]
Bill Number | Bill Name | Bill Status |
---|---|---|
HB 87 | Procurement Code Revisions | House/ filed - 3/4/22 |
HB 143 | DUI Penalty Amendments | House/ filed - 3/4/22 |
HB 205 | County Officer Fees Amendments | Governor signed - 3/24/22 |
HB 219 | Uniform Unregulated Child Custody Transfer Act | Governor signed - 3/24/22 |
HB 344 | Utah Medical Candor Act | Governor signed - 3/24/22 |
HJR 13 | Joint Resolution Amending Court Rules of Procedure and Evidence to Address the Medical Candor Process | House/ enrolled bill to Printing - 3/14/22 |
HR 1 | House Rules Resolution - Reconsideration of Action | House/ filed - 3/4/22 |
Nelson worked for law firm Kirton McConkie [17] which represents the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints [18] 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. Many of these phone calls to the helpline [19] [20][ circular reference] are made by Bishops of the LDS faith looking for legal advice around domestic violence and abuse reported to them through confessions of members in their Ward or local community. 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. [21] 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. [22] [23] 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. [23] 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. [23] In April 2023, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that Arizona's clergy-privilege law properly applies to LDS Bishops. [24]
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.
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: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
link)
Merrill Nelson | |
---|---|
Member of the
Utah House of Representatives from the 68th district | |
In office January 1, 2013 – December 31, 2022 | |
Preceded by | Bill Wright |
Succeeded by | Scott Chew |
Personal details | |
Born | Tooele, Utah | July 16, 1955
Nationality | American |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Karen Nelson [1] |
Children | 5 [1] |
Residence | Grantsville, Utah |
Alma mater |
Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School |
Profession | Lawyer |
Website |
merrillnelson |
Merrill F. Nelson [2] (born July 16, 1955 in Tooele, Utah) is an American politician and a former Republican member of the Utah House of Representatives representing District 68. [3] Merrill announced he was not seeking re-election in 2022.
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. [4] [5]
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. [6] [7]
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. [8]
Bill Number | Bill Name | Bill Status |
---|---|---|
HB 87 | Procurement Code Revisions | House/ filed - 3/4/22 |
HB 143 | DUI Penalty Amendments | House/ filed - 3/4/22 |
HB 205 | County Officer Fees Amendments | Governor signed - 3/24/22 |
HB 219 | Uniform Unregulated Child Custody Transfer Act | Governor signed - 3/24/22 |
HB 344 | Utah Medical Candor Act | Governor signed - 3/24/22 |
HJR 13 | Joint Resolution Amending Court Rules of Procedure and Evidence to Address the Medical Candor Process | House/ enrolled bill to Printing - 3/14/22 |
HR 1 | House Rules Resolution - Reconsideration of Action | House/ filed - 3/4/22 |
Nelson worked for law firm Kirton McConkie [17] which represents the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints [18] 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. Many of these phone calls to the helpline [19] [20][ circular reference] are made by Bishops of the LDS faith looking for legal advice around domestic violence and abuse reported to them through confessions of members in their Ward or local community. 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. [21] 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. [22] [23] 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. [23] 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. [23] In April 2023, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that Arizona's clergy-privilege law properly applies to LDS Bishops. [24]
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}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
link)