Amend the bill, as and if amended, by striking SECTION 8 on line 15, page 5 and inserting:
/ SECTION 8. For counties in which the previous offices of county election commissions and voter registration boards were not combined prior to the effective date of this act, the members of both the boards shall continue serving, in a combined capacity, until the Governor makes the combined board initial appointments pursuant to item 7-5-10(B)(1). For counties in which the previous boards were separate and neither had a director prior to the effective date of this act, the chairman of the former board of voter registration shall serve as the director of the combined board and the chairman of the former county election commission shall serve as the chairman of the combined board of voter registration and election commission until such time as the Governor has made all the appointments to constitute the combined board. Once the combined board has been fully constituted, the board may elect from among its members a chairman and such officers as it considers desirable, and must also hire a director, pursuant to the provisions of items 7-5-10(B)(5) and (6).
SECTION 9. The provisions of this act are severable. If any section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, item, subitem, sentence, clause, phrase, or word of this act is for any reason held to be unconstitutional or invalid, such holding shall not affect the constitutionality or validity of the remaining portions of the act, the General Assembly hereby declaring that it would have passed each and every section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, item, subitem, sentence, clause, phrase, and word thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more other sections, subsections, paragraphs, subparagraphs, items, subitems, sentences, clauses, phrases, or words hereof may be declared to be unconstitutional, invalid, or otherwise ineffective.
SECTION 10. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor. /
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.