The boards of commissioners of the respective counties in this state are authorized to provide for premarital counseling and to require the use of premarital counseling as a condition precedent to the issuance of a marriage license under the provisions of this act. They may appoint a premarital counseling board consisting of seven members, four of whom shall be lay persons and three of whom shall be chosen from the professions of psychiatry, psychology, social work, marriage counseling, the clergy, law or medicine. They may designate the terms of office and the procedures to be followed by the premarital counseling board and provide for payment of compensation and expenses for members. They may pay the salaries and expenses of a counseling staff under the supervision of the premarital counseling board and provide office space, furnishings, equipment and supplies for their use.

     A county may join with an adjacent county or counties in forming a common premarital counseling board and in establishing a common master plan for premarital counseling.