35. Legislative intent; construction. 1. It is the intention of the legislature by this county charter law to provide for carrying into effect the provisions of paragraph (h) of subdivision one of article nine of the constitution and, pursuant to the direction contained therein, to empower counties to prepare, adopt and amend county charters by local legislative action, subject to limitations imposed herein.
2. It is not the intention of the legislature hereby to (a) abolish or curtail any powers or rights heretofore conferred upon or delegated to a county or counties or to any of the units of government therein or to any board, commission, body or officer thereof, or (b) adversely to affect the power of a county to adopt, amend or repeal county charters, county laws or local laws pursuant to any other authorization of the legislature, unless a contrary intention is clearly manifested from the express provisions of this county charter law or by necessary intendment therefrom.
3. This county charter law shall be construed liberally. The powers herein granted shall be in addition to any other powers granted to counties by any other provisions of general or special laws, including but not limited to charters, administrative codes, special acts or local laws. A permissive procedure authorized hereby shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to prohibit the use of any other procedure authorized by any general or special act of the legislature, charter, administrative code or local law lawfully adopted and still in effect.
4. All existing state, county, local and other laws or enactments, including charters, administrative codes and special acts having the force of law shall continue in force until lawfully amended, modified, superseded or repealed.
5. If any provision of the county charter law is not clear or requires elaboration in its application to the county, the board of supervisors may interpret such provision in a local law not inconsistent with the provisions hereof. Where any question arises concerning the transition to a charter law which is not provided for herein, the board of supervisors may provide for such transition by a local law not inconsistent with the provisions hereof.
6. If any provision of this county charter law shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair or invalidate the remainder thereof but shall be confined in its operation to the particular provision directly involved in the controversy in which such judgment is rendered.
Last modified: February 3, 2019