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Gov. Chris Christie.

(John Munson/NJ Advance Media)

TRENTON -- Gov. Chris Christie is back to working behind the scenes with New Jersey lawmakers to tweak a state law that bars him on cashing in on a book deal while in office.

That's according to a new story by The Bergen Record, which reported "Christie is now in talks with top Democratic and Republican lawmakers to change the law this month to allow him to cash in with a book deal."

The newspaper cited sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The deal that would let Christie profit from a book is tied to a proposal to increase lawmakers' staff salaries.

Under New Jersey state law, a sitting governor is barred from "receiving or agreeing to receive, whether directly or indirectly, any compensation, salary, honorarium, fee, or other form of income from any source, other than the compensation paid or reimbursed to him/her by the State for the performance of official duties."

This is not the first time the governor and lawmakers floated this compromise.

In December 2014, NJ Advance Media reported the same proposal was quietly being discussed. "It's being talked about. I'm not going to deny it's being talked about," Assemblyman Declan O'Scanlon (R-Monmouth) said at the time.

And just earlier that same year, Assemblyman John Burzichelli (D-Gloucester), sponsored a similar bill that stalled.

Currently, a New Jersey legislator is allotted $110,000 for his or her entire staff salary. The proposed bill would hike that to $140,000 while increasing judicial staff salaries by 4 percent.

Christie and First Lady Mary Pat reported earning just over $900,000 in income in 2015.

Newly released tax returns showed the Christies reported earning $913,420 in 2015. That's roughly what they made in 2014, when they reported nearly $1 million in income.

The governor earns a $175,000 annual salary, and is also given an annual $95,000 annual entertainment allowance.

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or on Facebook.