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
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
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. Four current members of the Assembly hold other elective office, as they are grandfathered in under a New Jersey law that banned multiple office holding in 2007.
The Assembly is led by the
Speaker
Speaker may refer to:
Society and politics
* Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly
* Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture
* A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially:
** I ...
of the Assembly, who is elected by the membership of the chamber. After the
Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey
The lieutenant governor of New Jersey is an elected constitutional officer in the executive branch of the state government of New Jersey in the United States. The lieutenant governor is the second highest-ranking official in the state governm ...
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
The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of New Jersey. The office of governor is an elected position with a four-year term. There is a two consecutive term term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The official r ...
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
Craig John Coughlin (born January 31, 1958) is an American Democratic Party politician, who has represented the 19th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2010. He has served as the Speaker of the New Jersey General Ass ...
(
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.
History
:''See:
New Jersey Legislature#Colonial period and
New Jersey Legislative Council#Composition''
Composition
Committees and committee chairs
Committee chairs for the 2022-2023 Legislative Session are:
* Aging & Senior Services - Asw.
Angela V. McKnight (D-Hudson)
* Agriculture and Food Security - Asm.
Roy Freiman
Roy Freiman (born April 30, 1959) is an American Democratic Party politician who has represented the 16th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2018, replacing Jack Ciattarelli, who did not seek re-election to his seat ...
(D-Somerset)
* Appropriations - Asw.
Lisa Swain (D-Bergen)
* Budget - Asw.
Eliana Pintor Marin (D-Essex)
* Commerce and Economic Development - Asw.
Britnee Timberlake (D-Essex)
* Community Development & Affairs - Asw.
Shavonda E. Sumter (D-Paterson)
* Consumer Affairs - Asm.
Paul D. Moriarty (D-Gloucester)
* Education - Asw.
Pamela R. Lampitt (D-Burlington)
* Environment and Solid Waste - Asm.
James J. Kennedy (D-Union)
* Financial Institutions and Insurance - Asm.
John F. McKeon (D-Essex)
* Health and Senior Services - Asm.
Herb Conaway, MD (D-Burlington)
* Higher Education - Asw.
Mila Jasey (D-Essex)
* Homeland Security and State Preparedness - Asw.
Shanique Speight (D-Essex)
* Housing - Asw.
Yvonne Lopez (D-Middlesex)
* Human Services - Asw.
Angelica Jimenez (D-Hudson)
* Judiciary - Asm.
Raj Mukherji (D-Hudson)
* Labor - Asm.
Joseph Egan (D-Middlesex)
* Law and Public Safety - Asm.
William Spearman (D-Camden)
* Military and Veterans' Affairs - Asw.
Cleopatra Tucker (D-Essex)
* Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations - Asm.
Joseph Danielsen (D-Somerset)
* Regulated Professions - Asm.
Thomas Giblin (D-Essex)
* Science, Innovation and Technology - Asm.
Christopher Tully (D-Bergen)
* Special Committee on Infrastructure and Natural Resources - Asm.
Robert J. Karabinchak (D-Middlesex)
* State and Local Government - Asm.
Anthony S. Verrelli (D-Mercer)
* Telecommunications and Utilities - Asm.
Wayne DeAngelo (D-Mercer)
* Tourism, Gaming and the Arts - Asm.
Ralph Caputo (D-Essex)
* Transportation and Independent Authorities - Asm.
Daniel R. Benson
Daniel R. Benson (born November 22, 1975) is an American Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party politician who serves in the New Jersey New Jersey General Assembly, General Assembly representing the New Jersey's 14th legislative di ...
(D-Mercer)
* Women and Children - Asw.
Gabriela Mosquera (D-Gloucester)
List of past Assembly speakers
:''Note: The first three subsections below end with a constitutional year: 1776, 1844 or 1947. The fourth subsection ends in 1966, the year of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that required legislative apportionment based on the principle of "one person, one vote".''
The following is a list of speakers of the Assembly since 1703.
1703–1776
# 1703-04: Thomas Gardiner, City of Burlington
# 1704-06: Peter Fretwell, City of Burlington
# 1707:
Samuel Jennings, City of Burlington
# 1708-09: Thomas Gordon, City of Perth Amboy
# 1709-14: John Kay, Gloucester
# 1716:
Daniel Coxe, Jr., Gloucester
# 1716-19: John Kinsey, Middlesex
# 1721-22:
John Johnstone, City of Perth Amboy
# 1723-24:
William Trent
William Trent (February 13, 1715–1787) was an American fur trader and merchant based in colonial Pennsylvania. He was commissioned as a captain of the Virginia Regiment in the early stages of the French and Indian War, when he served on the we ...
, Burlington
# 1725-29:
John Johnstone, City of Perth Amboy
# 1730-33: John Kinsey, Jr., Middlesex
# 1733-38: ''Interregnum: No Assembly called or elected.''
# 1738: John Kinsey, Jr., Middlesex
# 1738-39: Joseph Bonnel, Essex
* 1740-44: Andrew Johnston, City of Perth Amboy
* 1744-45: Samuel Nevill, City of Perth Amboy
* 1746-48: Robert Lawrence, Monmouth
* 1748-51: Samuel Nevill, City of Perth Amboy
* 1751-54: Charles Read, City of Burlington
* 1754-58: Robert Lawrence, Monmouth
* 1759-62: Samuel Nevill, City of Perth Amboy
* 1763-65: Robert Ogden, Essex
* 1765-70:
Cortlandt Skinner
Cortlandt Skinner (December 16, 1727 – March 15, 1799) was the last Royal Attorney General of New Jersey and a brigadier general in a Loyalist force, the New Jersey Volunteers, also known as Skinner's Greens, during the American Revolutionary W ...
City of Perth Amboy
* 1770-72:
Stephen Crane
Stephen Crane (November 1, 1871 – June 5, 1900) was an American poet, novelist, and short story writer. Prolific throughout his short life, he wrote notable works in the Realist tradition as well as early examples of American Naturalism an ...
, Essex
* 1773-75:
Cortlandt Skinner
Cortlandt Skinner (December 16, 1727 – March 15, 1799) was the last Royal Attorney General of New Jersey and a brigadier general in a Loyalist force, the New Jersey Volunteers, also known as Skinner's Greens, during the American Revolutionary W ...
City of Perth Amboy
''On December 6, 1775, Gov.
William Franklin
William Franklin (22 February 1730 – 17 November 1813) was an American-born attorney, soldier, politician, and colonial administrator. He was the acknowledged illegitimate son of Benjamin Franklin. William Franklin was the last colonial G ...
prorogued the New Jersey Legislature until January 3, 1776, but it never met again. On May 30, 1776, Franklin attempted to convene the legislature, but was met instead with an order by the
New Jersey Provincial Congress for his arrest. On July 2, 1776, the Provincial Congress approved a new
constitution
A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed.
When these princ ...
which ordered new elections; on August 13 an entire new legislature was elected.''
1776–1844
*1776-78:
John Hart, Hunterdon
* 1778-79:
Caleb Camp
Caleb (), sometimes transliterated as Kaleb ( he, כָּלֵב, ''Kalev'', ; Tiberian vocalization: Kālēḇ; Hebrew Academy: Kalev), is a figure who appears in the Hebrew Bible as a representative of the Tribe of Judah during the Israelites' ...
, Essex
* 1780:
Josiah Hornblower
Josiah Hornblower (February 23, 1729 – January 21, 1809) was an English engineer and statesman in Belleville, New Jersey. He was a delegate for New Jersey in the Continental Congress in 1785 and 1786.
Personal life
Josiah was born in S ...
, Essex
* 1781:
John Meheim
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second ...
, Hunterdon
* 1782-83:
Ephraim Harris, Cumberland
* 1784:
Daniel Hendrickson, Monmouth
* 1784-86:
Benjamin Van Cleve
Benjamin Van Cleve (February 24, 1773 – November 29, 1821) was a pioneer settler of Dayton, Ohio in the United States. He held several offices in the town.
Benjamin Van Cleve was the oldest child of John and Catherine Benham Van Cleve of Monmout ...
, Hunterdon
* 1787: Ephraim Harris, Cumberland
* 1788: Benjamin Van Cleve, Hunterdon
* 1789:
John Beatty, Middlesex
* 1790:
Jonathan Dayton
Jonathan Dayton (October 16, 1760October 9, 1824) was an American Founding Father and politician from the U.S. state of New Jersey. He was the youngest person to sign the Constitution of the United States and a member of the United States Hou ...
, Essex
* 1791:
Ebenezer Elmer, Cumberland
* 1792-94:
Silas Condict
Silas Condict (March 7, 1738 – September 6, 1801) was an American farmer, prominent surveyor, and large landowner from Morris County, New Jersey. He served as a New Jersey delegate to the Continental Congress from 1781 to 1783. Later, he served ...
, Morris
* 1795: Ebenezer Elmer, Cumberland
* 1796:
James H. Imlay, Monmouth
* 1797: Silas Condict, Morris
* 1798-1800:
William Coxe Jr., Burlington
* 1801:
Silas Dickerson, Sussex
* 1802: William Coxe, Burlington
* 1803:
Peter Gordon, Hunterdon
* 1804-07:
James Cox, Monmouth
* 1808-09:
Lewis Condict
Lewis Condict (March 3, 1772 – May 26, 1862) was a physician, and the United States representative from New Jersey. He was the 24th President of the Medical Society of New Jersey.
Biography
Born in Morristown in the Province of New Jersey, ...
Morris
* 1810-11:
William Kennedy, Sussex
* 1812:
William Pearson, Burlington
* 1813:
Ephraim Bateman, Cumberland
* 1814-15:
Samuel Pennington, Essex
* 1816:
Charles Clark, Essex
* 1817: Ebenezer Elmer, Cumberland
* 1818-22:
David Thompson, Jr., Morris
* 1823:
Lucius Q.C. Elmer, Cumberland
* 1824:
David Johnston
David Lloyd Johnston (born June 28, 1941) is a Canadian academic, author, and statesman who served from 2010 to 2017 as Governor General of Canada, the 28th since Canadian Confederation. He is the commissioner of the Leaders' Debates Commis ...
, Hunterdon
* 1825-26:
George K. Drake, Morris
* 1827-28:
William B. Ewing, Cumberland
* 1829-31:
Alexander Wurts, Hunterdon
* 1832:
John P. Jackson, Essex
* 1833-35:
Daniel B. Ryall, Monmouth
* 1836:
Thomas G. Haight, Monmouth
* 1837-38: Lewis Condict, Morris
* 1839:
William Stites, Essex
* 1840-41:
John Emley, Burlington
* 1842:
Samuel Halsey, Morris
* 1843-44:
Joseph Taylor, Cumberland
1845–1947
The Constitution of 1844 expanded the General Assembly to 60 members, elected annually and apportioned to the then-nineteen counties by population.
[Also in the Constitution of 1844, the Legislative Council was renamed the Senate, to be composed of one member from each of the state's 19 counties, serving a three-year term. In addition, the new constitution provided for a direct popular election of the governor, with the power to veto bills passed by the Legislature. See: New Jersey Legislature#The Constitution of 1844.]
* 1845:
Isaac Van Wagenen, Essex
* 1846:
Lewis Howell, Cumberland
* 1847-48:
John W. C. Evans, Burlington
* 1849:
Edward W. Whelpley, Morris
* 1850:
John T. Nixon, Cumberland
* 1851:
John H. Phillips, Mercer
* 1852:
John Huyler, Bergen
* 1853-54:
John W. Fennimore, Burlington
* 1855:
William Parry, Burlington
* 1856:
Thomas W. Demarest, Bergen
* 1857:
Andrew Dutcher, Mercer
* 1858:
Daniel Holsman, Bergen
* 1859:
Edwin Salter, Ocean
* 1860:
Austin H. Patterson, Monmouth
* 1861:
Frederick Halstead Teese, Essex
* 1862:
Charles Haight
Charles Haight (January 4, 1838 – August 1, 1891) was an American lawyer and Democratic Party politician who represented New Jersey's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1867 to 1871.
Early life
Hai ...
, Monmouth
* 1863:
James T. Crowell, Middlesex
* 1864:
Joseph N. Taylor, Passaic
* 1865:
Joseph T. Crowell, Union
* 1866:
John Hill, Morris
* 1867:
G. W. N. Curtis, Camden
* 1868:
Augustus O. Evans, Hudson
* 1869-70:
Leon Abbett
Leon Abbett (October 8, 1836December 4, 1894) was an American Democratic Party politician and lawyer who served two nonconsecutive terms as the 26th Governor of New Jersey from 1884 to 1887 and 1890 to 1893. His official state biography refers t ...
, Hudson
* 1871:
Albert P. Condit, Essex
* 1872:
Nathaniel Niles, Morris
* 1873:
Isaac L. Fisher, Middlesex
* 1874:
Garret A. Hobart, Passaic
* 1875:
George O. Vanderbilt, Mercer
* 1876:
John D. Caracallen, Hudson
* 1877:
Rudolph F. Rabe, Hudson
* 1878:
John Egan, Union
* 1879:
Schuyler B. Jackson, Essex
* 1880:
Sherman B. Oviatt, Monmouth
* 1881:
Harrison Van Duyne, Essex
* 1882:
John T. Dunn, Union
* 1883:
Thomas O'Connor, Essex
* 1884:
A. B. Stoney, Monmouth
* 1885-86:
Edward Ambler Armstrong, Camden
* 1887:
William M. Baird, Warren
* 1888:
Samuel D. Dickinson, Hudson
* 1889:
Robert S. Hudspeth, Hudson
* 1890:
William Christian Heppenheimer, Hudson
* 1891-92:
James J. Bergen, Somerset
* 1893:
Thomas Flynn, Passaic
* 1894:
John I. Holt, Passaic (resigned May 26)
* 1894-95:
Joseph Cross Joseph or Joe Cross may refer to:
People
* Joseph Cross (actor) (born 1986), American actor
* Joseph Cross (cartographer) (1821–1865), English cartographer
* Joseph Cross (cricketer) (1849–1918), English cricketer
* Joseph Cross (judge) (1843 ...
, Union
* 1896:
Louis T. DeRousse, Camden
* 1897:
George W. MacPherson, Mercer
* 1898-99:
David O. Watkins, Gloucester
*1900:
Benjamin Franklin Jones, Essex
* 1901-1902:
William J. Bradley, Camden
* 1903:
John G. Horner, Burlington
* 1904-1905:
John Boyd Avis, Gloucester
* 1906:
Samuel K. Robbins, Burlington
* 1907:
Edgar E. Lethbridge, Essex
* 1908:
Frank B. Jess, Camden
* 1909:
John D. Prince, Passaic
* 1910:
Harry P. Ward, Bergen
* 1911:
Edward Kenny
Sir Edward Kenny, (1 July 1800 – 16 May 1891) was a Canadian politician and businessman. He co-founded the Union and Merchants' banks and served as Mayor of Halifax. He was a Conservative senator from 1867 to 1876.
Early life and busi ...
, Hudson
* 1912:
Thomas F. McCran, Passaic
* 1913:
Leon R. Taylor, Monmouth (became Acting Governor October 28)
* 1914:
Azariah M. Beekman, Somerset
* 1915:
Carlton Godfrey, Atlantic
* 1916:
Charles C. Pilgrim, Essex
* 1917:
Edward Schoen, Essex
* 1918:
Charles A. Wolverton, Camden
* 1919:
Arthur N. Pierson, Union
* 1920:
W. Irving Glover, Bergen
* 1921:
George S. Hobart, Essex
* 1922:
T. Harry Rowland, Camden
* 1923:
William W. Evans, Passaic
* 1924:
Harry G. Eaton, Essex
* 1925:
Clifford R. Powell, Burlington
* 1926:
Ralph W. Chandless, Bergen
* 1927:
Anthony J. Siracusa, Atlantic
* 1928:
Thomas L. Hanson, Middlesex
* 1929:
Guy George Gabrielson
Guy George Gabrielson (May 22, 1891 – May 1, 1976) was a Republican politician from New Jersey. He served as chairman of the Republican National Committee from 1949 to 1952, and was a member of the New Jersey General Assembly from 1925 to 1929 ...
, Essex
* 1930:
William B. Knight, Camden
* 1931:
Russell S. Wise, Passaic
* 1932:
Joseph Greenberg
Joseph Harold Greenberg (May 28, 1915 – May 7, 2001) was an American linguist, known mainly for his work concerning linguistic typology and the genetic classification of languages.
Life Early life and education
Joseph Greenberg was born on ...
, Hudson
* 1933:
Charles A. Otto, Jr., Union (resigned November 14)
* 1933:
Herbert J. Pascoe, Union
* 1933:
Joseph Altman, Atlantic
* 1935:
Lester H. Clee, Essex
* 1936:
Marcus W. Newcomb, Burlington
* 1936:
Thomas G. Walker, Hudson (resigned November 30)
* 1936:
Fred W. De Voe, Middlesex
* 1938-1939:
Herbert J. Pascoe, Union
* 1940-1941:
Roscoe P. McClave, Bergen
* 1942:
John E. Boswell, Cape May
* 1942:
Manfield G. Amlicke, Passaic
* 1943:
Dominic A. Cavicchia, Essex
* 1944:
Freas L. Hess, Somerset
* 1945:
Walter H. Jones, Bergen
* 1946:
Leon Leonard, Atlantic
1948–1967
* 1947:
Joseph L. Brescher, Union
* 1949:
Hugh L. Mehorter, Gloucester
* 1950:
Percy A. Miller, Jr., Essex (resigned)
* 1950:
James E. Fraser, Atlantic (died in office)
* 1951:
Merrill H. Thompson, Monmouth
* 1952:
Lawrence A. Cavinato, Bergen
* 1953:
Elvin R. Simmill, Monmouth
* 1954:
G. Clifford Thomas, Union
* 1955:
Paul M. Salsburg, Atlantic
* 1956:
Leo J. Mosch, Essex
* 1957:
Elden Mills, Morris
* 1958:
William F. Hyland, Camden
* 1959:
William Kurtz, Middlesex
* 1960:
Maurice V. Brady, Hudson
* 1961:
Le Roy J. D'Aloia, Essex
* 1962:
John W. Davis
John William Davis (April 13, 1873 – March 24, 1955) was an American politician, diplomat and lawyer. He served under President Woodrow Wilson as the Solicitor General of the United States and the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom ...
, Salem
* 1963:
Elmer Matthews, Essex
* 1964:
Alfred N. Beadleston, Monmouth
* 1965:
Marion West Higgins, Bergen
* 1966:
Maurice V. Brady (resigned)
* 1966:
Frederick H. Hauser, Hudson
* 1968:
Robert J. Halpin, Cumberland
1968–present
* 1969:
Albert S. Smith, District 2
* 1970:
Peter Moraites, District 13D
* 1970:
William K. Dickey, District 3C
* 1971:
Barry T. Parker, District 4B
* 1972–1974:
Thomas Kean
Thomas Howard Kean ( ; born April 21, 1935) is an American businessman, academic administrator and politician. A member of the Republican Party, Kean served as the 48th governor of New Jersey from 1982 to 1990. Following his tenure as governor, ...
, District 11E
* 1974–1976:
S. Howard Woodson, 13th District (resigned)
* 1977:
Joseph A. LeFante, 31st District
* 1978:
William J. Hamilton, 17th District
* 1978–1982:
Christopher Jackman
Christopher J. Jackman (July 12, 1916 – January 28, 1991) was an American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey, who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature. He was Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly from 1978 until 1 ...
, 33rd District
* 1982–1985:
Alan Karcher, 19th District
* 1986–1990:
Chuck Hardwick, 21st District
* 1990–1992:
Joseph Doria
Joseph V. Doria Jr. (born June 28, 1946) is an American Democratic Party politician, who served as Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs in the cabinet of Governor Jon Corzine from 2007 until his resignation in July 20 ...
, 31st District
* 1992–1996:
Chuck Haytaian
Garabed "Chuck" Haytaian (born January 28, 1938) is an American Republican Party politician, who was the Speaker of the New Jersey State Assembly during the 'tax revolt' of the James Florio – Christine Todd Whitman era. He is of Armenia ...
, 23rd District
* 1996–2002:
Jack Collins, 3rd District
* 2002–2006:
Albio Sires
Albio B. Sires (; born January 26, 1951) is a Cuban-born American businessman and politician who has served as the U.S. representative for since 2006. The district, numbered as the from 2006 to 2013, includes most of northern and eastern Jers ...
, 33rd District
* 2006–2010:
Joseph J. Roberts, 5th District
* 2010–2014:
Sheila Y. Oliver, 34th District
* 2014–2018:
Vincent Prieto
Vincent Prieto (born September 11, 1960) is an American Democratic Party politician. He served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 2004 to 2018, where he represented the 32nd Legislative District. He formerly served as the 170th Speaker of ...
, 32nd District
* 2018–present:
Craig Coughlin
Craig John Coughlin (born January 31, 1958) is an American Democratic Party politician, who has represented the 19th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2010. He has served as the Speaker of the New Jersey General Ass ...
, 19th District
Past composition of the Assembly
See also
*
:Members of the New Jersey General Assembly
*
New Jersey State Constitution
References
External links
New Jersey Legislatureofficial website
Assembly Democratsofficial website
Assembly Republicansofficial website
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New Jersey Legislature
State lower houses in the United States