Archived Story

Senate passes measure to protect Last Best Place use
Posted on Oct. 16

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate Tuesday passed legislatuion to keep the phrase “The Last Best Place” from being trademarked.

Montana Sen. Max Baucus included language in the fiscal year 2008 Commerce, Justice and Science appropriation bill that would prohibit the slogan, commonly used to describe Montana, from being trademarked.

The bill will now go to a joint House-Senate committee to iron out differences.

The battle over the trademark has been ongoing since 2002 when Nevada businessman David Lipson tried to gain exclusive rights to the phrase for his Paw’s Up resort in the Blackfoot Valley.

Baucus' provision would prohibit the U.S. Department of Commerce from spending funds to approve the trade mark - effectively killing the request.

Baucus said that the lawsuit over the trademark currently has been stalled pending appeal.
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