The Latest: California may bar trademarking state park names

By Associated Press / http://gazette.com

Lawmakers have approved a bill prohibiting vendors from claiming ownership of California state parks names following a dispute that led to renaming sites at Yosemite National Park.

The U.S. National Park Service renamed several Yosemite sites during a dispute with a former concessionaire. The Ahwahnee Hotel became the Majestic Yosemite Hotel and Curry Village became Half Dome Village, among others.

AB2249 would ensure that doesn’t happen to a state park.

The bill would also disqualify future bids by a concessionaire that attempts a similar trademark claim on a state park or its historical, cultural or recreational resources.

Photo Credit: Della Huff