to Democratic nominee Ron Allen who had won the Democratic Primary against Senator Mantes. Allen served in the seat from 1999 until 2006. Notable legislation 2022- Representative Nelson ran HB 143 which increases the penalty for a second driving under the influence conviction to a class a misdemeanor under certain circumstances. 2022- Representative Nelson ran 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. 2022 sponsored legislation Kirton McConkie Pedophilia Scandal Nelson worked for law firm Kirton McConkie which represents the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 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 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 has been named in at least two cases of giving the legal advice to Bishops not to report sexual abuse of children to law enforcement or child protective services, and in both cases allowed the abuse to continue for years. References External links Official page at the Utah State Legislature Campaign site Merrill Nelson at Ballotpedia Merrill Nelson at the National Institute on Money in State Politics 1955 births Living people Brigham Young University alumni J. Reuben Clark Law School alumni Republican Party members of the Utah House of Representatives People from Tooele, Utah Utah lawyers 21st-century American politicians People from Grantsville, Utah