It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows

SECTION 1. Validation of amendments. -- In all respects in which the amendments to the Home Rule Charter of the town of North Kingstown, which amendments were adopted and approved by the electors of the town of North Kingstown on November 5, 1996, may require ratification, confirmation, validation or enactment by the general assembly, but in no other respects, the provisions of said amendments to the Home Rule Charter of the town of North Kingstown are hereby ratified, confirmed, validated and enacted. It is the express intention of the general assembly, by the passage of this act, to give said amendments to the Home Rule Charter of the town of North effect to, ratify, confirm, validate and enact those provisions of the Kingstown which require ratification, confirmation, validation or enactment and by the passage of this act, the legislature does hereby ratify, confirm, validate and enact said provisions, but nothing in this act shall be construed to abrogate or impair the powers now or hereafter granted to towns by the Home Rule amendment and other applicable laws of the state of Rhode Island or those rights retained by said town of North Kingstown in its Home Rule Charter.

SECTION 2. Severability. -- If any provision of this act, or the application thereof to the town of North Kingstown or to any person or circumstances is deemed invalid for any reason, the remainder of this act, or the application of such provision to said town or other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby, and to this end the provisions of this act are declared to be severable.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.