(a) The Legislature finds that Amendment 578 to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, was approved by an overwhelming majority of the voters of Franklin County and the Franklin County School District at the election held for that purpose. The Legislature further finds and declares that subsection (b) of Amendment 578 was intended to require approval of a majority of those qualified electors of the political subdivisions voting at the constitutional amendment election and was not intended to require approval by a majority of the registered voters in the respective political subdivisions. However, because the Legislature is mindful that opponents to Amendment 578 may attempt to challenge Amendment 578 based on an unreasonable interpretation of subsection (b) of Amendment 578, the Legislature desires to provide further for the nomination of the Franklin County Superintendent of Education.

(b) Candidates for election to the office of the Franklin County Superintendent of Education shall be nominated by the qualified electors residing in the jurisdiction of the Franklin County School District in the primary election at the same time and otherwise in the same manner as candidates for other county offices.

(c) In the event a court prohibits the nomination and election of the Franklin County Superintendent of Education pursuant to Amendment 578, the nomination of the candidates at the 1996 primary election shall be subject to a higher court upholding the validity of that amendment or the approval of a constitutional amendment at that election providing further for the election of the Franklin County Superintendent of Education.