If any one or more provision, section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or word of this act [*] or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is found to be unconstitutional, the same is hereby declared to be severable and the balance of this act [*] shall remain effective notwithstanding such unconstitutionality. The legislature hereby declares that it would have passed this act [*], and each provision, section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or word thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more provision, section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or word be declared unconstitutional.