Idaho’s state Board of Examiners, which consists of the governor, the Attorney General and the Secretary of State, voted unanimously today to approve two payments related to the Idaho Education Network lawsuit: $930,593.17, plus interest, for the attorney fees of the winning party, Syringa Networks, and $1,248.50 for the state’s costs in its most recent appeal to the Idaho Supreme Court, which it lost.

Courts last year declared the $60 million contract the state signed with Education Networks of America and Qwest, now CenturyLink, for the network illegal, and the broadband network linking Idaho high schools went dark. Since then, schools have contracted for their own broadband services at big savings.

The state has repeatedly appealed the rulings in the case. After today’s vote, Attorney General Lawrence Wasden said there will be no further appeals. “There’s no place left to appeal,” he said.

Wasden told the Board of Examiners, “These are legitimate costs against the state, they have been ordered by the court, and we are required to pay them. And the proper process is for us to approve them and to submit them to the legislative process.”

Deputy Attorney General Brian Kane told the board, “The purpose of this item is so that we can go to the Legislature and get an appropriation to pay this within this legislative session … to ensure we can get all of this before the appropriations committee and then through the legislative process prior to their departure.”

Wasden moved to approve the payments, Denney seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously with no debate.