CONCORD — Legislative leaders say they returned $1.6 million in unspent money to the state’s general fund for the recently concluded 2012 fiscal year.

For the first time, the 2012-13 state operating budget required the legislative branch to return unspent funds. Previously, legislative budget funds rolled over from year to year and several years ago about $4 million sat in the “legislative fund.”

The current budget projected the legislative branch would not spend or lapse $530,000, but instead $640,000 was saved. State departments have always been required to lapse money, usually between 2 and 4 percent of their budgets, but the legislative branch was not.

Senate President Peter Bragdon thanked employees for their sacrifices to enable the savings through fewer staff members, a salary freeze and “making do with less.”

He said from the time Republicans regained control of the Legislature, they made it clear state government would live within its means.

“We crafted a balanced budget reflecting that philosophy which included sending back unused legislative funds to the general fund,” Bragdon said. “This was absolutely the right thing to do with taxpayer dollars, especially since we required other departments to operate under reduced budgets.”

grayno@unionleader.com