State Representative Jim Nielson says he won’t be running for a third term.
In three legislative sessions, the Republican from Bountiful earned a reputation as a conservative in a House that’s pretty conservative already. As he prepares for his final session, Nielson says it’s likely lawmakers will be looking at ways to address the same-sex marriage issue – perhaps by getting government entirely out of the marriage business.
Nielson tells KUER, “I think there may be some discussion or some suggestion that marriage should be defined by and controlled by private organizations, churches or civic groups, but not by the government.”
Nielson is an architect, and his firm, CRSA, has struggled through the recession like many businesses involved in construction. Some of his partners in the firm are retiring, and he says the business will need more attention than he can give it while he serves in the legislature.