Rules of construction; severability

(a) Nothing contained in this article shall be construed to modify the provisions of article five of this chapter relating to local option elections, except that the references to sales of liquor by the commissioner shall be deemed to refer to sales of liquor by retail licensees. (b) If any section, subsection, subdivision, provision, clause or phrase of this article or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held unconstitutional or invalid, such unconstitutionality or invalidity shall not affect other sections, subsections, subdivisions, provisions, clauses or phrases or applications of the article, and to this end each and every section, subsection, subdivision, provision, clause and phrase of this article is declared to be severable. The Legislature hereby declares that it would have enacted the remaining sections, subsections, provisions, clauses and phrases of this article even if it had known that any sections, subsections, subdivisions, provisions, clauses and phrases thereof would be declared to be unconstitutional or invalid, and that it would have enacted this article even if it had known that the application thereof to any person or circumstance would be held to be unconstitutional or invalid. (c) The provisions of subsection (b) of this section shall be fully applicable to all future amendments or additions to this article, with like effect as if the provisions of said subsection (b) were set forth in extenso in every such amendment or addition and were reenacted as a part thereof. (d) In the event of any conflict between any provision of this article and any other provision of this code, any such other provision shall be construed and applied so as to enable the board and commissioner to implement and make effective the provisions of this article.