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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- A bill that would let companies seek an injunction and attorneys fees in state court if they feel their trademark is being used in bad faith on the Internet has passed the Utah House.
House Bill 450 is being pushed by Draper-based 1-800 Contacts, which says its competitors are paying Internet search engine providers to allow them to use the 1-800 Contacts trademark name as a search term. The outcome is that competitors might show up in the sponsored links section of the results.
Joe Zeidner, general counsel for 1-800 Contacts, says that hurts the company's trademark.
While bill sponsor Rep. Brad Last, R-St. George, says the measure protects Utah companies, some lawmakers say any measure should target the search engines, not the companies using the trademark.
The bill now moves to the Senate.
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Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
