Senate President Pro-Tem Brent Hill, who joined in the unanimous vote of the Constitutional Defense Council this morning to pay nearly $1 million for plaintiffs’ legal fees in three major lawsuits the state lost, said, “There are very few things in state government that are more important than defending our state Constitution.”

“We’re in a very litigious society. People are going to sue if they feel they have grounds to do so,” Hill said. “I respect that process. I don’t think we should back down and never defend our laws and our Constitution because we think we might lose. … Sometimes we’ll win, and sometimes we’ll lose.”

Idaho has now tapped its Constitutional Defense Fund for court-ordered legal fees 10 times since the fund was established in 1995; lawmakers have deposited $3.5 million in taxpayer funds in the account over the years, and will be asked to replenish it again when they meet in January. You can read my full story here at spokesman.com.