In Arp v. Workers' Comp. Appeals Bd. (1977) 19 Cal.3d 395, the California Supreme Court declared unconstitutional the then in effect conclusive presumption of Labor Code section 3501, subdivision (a) that a wife was totally dependent upon her husband. The court invalidated this presumption of dependency and declined to extend the presumption of dependency to the husband upon a wife. The court thus left to widows and widowers alike to prove the extent of their dependency and be compensated in accordance with the facts and circumstances shown. ( Arp, supra, 19 Cal.3d at pp. 409-410.) In Arp, 19 Cal.3d 395, the court said at pages 407-408 that: " Although courts do not lack power to remedy a constitutional defect by literally rewriting statutory language, it is a comparatively drastic alternative, to be invoked sparingly, and only when the result achieved by such a course is more consistent with legislative intent than the result that would attend outright invalidation."