OKLAHOMA CITY — Lauren Nelson only has been wearing the Miss America tiara for seven weeks, but she’s already made appearances in 11 states.

This week, Nelson is back home in Oklahoma, and one of her stops was at the state Capitol, where she spoke to legislators Monday about her platform, Internet safety for children.

It’s a timely visit, because House Bill 1714, by Rep. Paul Wesselhoft, R-Moore, and Sen. Jonathan Nichols, R-Norman, passed the House by a 99-0 vote on Feb. 14 and has been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Wesselhoft said he didn’t know when he wrote the bill that it later would be endorsed by a personal appearance from Miss America.

“Sometimes you just luck out,” he joked to onlookers Monday.

The bill will allow the courts to prohibit registered sex offenders from accessing certain communication Web sites, like MySpace and Facebook, and requires them to register with authorities any current e-mail addresses they are using.

“It’s scary but it’s true,” Wesselhoft said. “Your child may be communicating with molesters and rapists right in your own home. These online social networking sites are an open invitation for child predators to communicate with children.”

Nelson, a former University of Central Oklahoma student , said studies show one in five children in Oklahoma are inappropriately approached online. It happened to her when she was 13.

Nelson said she was at a seventh-grade sleepover party when she and a group of her young friends joined an online conversation with an older man in a chat room. Innocently, the girls provided the man with personal information.

“Thankfully, nothing came of that,” she said, “but later it definitely sparked my interest (in the issue).”

As Miss Oklahoma, Nelson spoke to more than 10,000 Oklahoma students about online safety and produced television public service announcements, one of which included an Edmond elementary school. She plans to continue that campaign through her year-long reign as Miss America.

Wesselhoft said Oklahoma is playing a key role in promoting the message of Internet safety.

“Oklahoma has taken the leadership in this area,” he said. “I think this piece of legislation will set a model for other states.”

Nichols agreed.

“Oklahoma is on the cutting edge of protecting our children from these people who, in my opinion, cannot be cured,” he said.

Even with enhanced legislation, Nelson said the best protection for children still takes place at home, under parents’ watchful eyes.

“The best way to police the Internet is on our side of the keyboard,” she said.

The current Miss America is a 2005 graduate of MacArthur High School in Lawton. She was a music theater major at UCO and said her career goal is to become a Broadway performer.

Nelson said Monday she was delighted to be back in her home state, and had a special message for Edmond residents and UCO students.

“I want to say thank you for the support and for being my college home,” she said. “I can’t wait to be back. I’ve had a wonderful experience there.”



lice Collinsworth writes for The Edmond (Okla.) Sun.