The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.
Since the election of 1967 (1968 session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average populations of 232,225 (2020 figures), with deviation in each district not exceeding 3.21% above and below that average. To be eligible to run, a potential candidate must be at least 21 years of age, and must have lived in their district for at least one year prior to the election, and have lived in the state of New Jersey for two years. They also must be residents of their districts. Membership in the Assembly is considered a part-time job, and many members have employment in addition to their legislative work. Assembly members serve two-year terms, elected every odd-numbered year in November. One current member of the Assembly holds another elective office, as he is grandfathered in under a New Jersey law that banned multiple office holding in 2007.
The Assembly is led by the Speaker of the Assembly, who is elected by the membership of the chamber. After the Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey and the President of the New Jersey Senate, the Speaker of the Assembly is third in the line of succession to replace the Governor of New Jersey in the event that the governor is unable to execute the duties of that office. The Speaker decides the schedule for the Assembly, which bills will be considered, appoints committee chairmen, and generally runs the Assembly's agenda. The current Speaker is Craig Coughlin (D-Woodbridge).
Salary and costs
Members of the NJ General Assembly receive an annual base salary of $49,000 with the Senate President and the Assembly Speaker earning slightly more. Members receive $110,000 for staff salaries. In addition, they receive 12,500 postage stamps, stationery and a telephone card. They receive New Jersey State health insurance and other benefits. The total cost to the State of New Jersey for each member of the general assembly is approximately $200,000 annually.
"Double dipping" Under state law that remained in effect until 2008, New Jersey Assembly, as well as Senate, members were allowed to serve in both one chamber or the other, as well as any other government positions they might have held at the time, although those who were still doing so as of 2008 ended up getting "grandfathered":
Name, Party-County – Second Public Office (name in bold represents state Assembly member still in both local and state offices as of 2023):
Assembly members:
John Burzichelli, D-Gloucester – Mayor, Paulsboro
Ralph Caputo, D-Essex – Freeholder, Essex County
Anthony Chiappone, D-Hudson – Councilman, Bayonne
Ronald Dancer, R-Ocean – Mayor, Plumsted Township
Joseph Egan, D-Middlesex – Councilman, New Brunswick
Elease Evans, D-Passaic – Freeholder, Passaic County
John McKeon, D-Essex – Mayor, West Orange
Paul D. Moriarty, D-Gloucester – Mayor, Washington Township
Ruben Ramos, D-Hudson – Councilman, Hoboken
Scott Rumana, R-Bergen – Mayor, Wayne
Gary Schaer, D-Passaic – Councilman, Passaic
Daniel Van Pelt, R-Ocean – Mayor, Ocean Township
Joseph Vas, D-Middlesex – Mayor, Perth Amboy
History
See: New Jersey Legislature#Colonial period and New Jersey Legislative Council#Composition