(a) The administration of the adult care home licensure act is hereby transferred from the secretary of health and environment to the secretary for aging and disability services, except as otherwise provided by this act. On the effective date of this act, the administration of the adult care home licensure act shall be under authority of the secretary for aging and disability services as the licensing agency in conjunction with the state fire marshal, and shall have the assistance of the county, city-county or multicounty health departments, local fire and safety authorities and other agencies of government in this state. The secretary for aging and disability services shall appoint an officer to administer the adult care home licensure act and such officer shall be in the unclassified service under the Kansas civil service act.

(b) The secretary for aging and disability services shall be a continuation of the secretary of health and environment as to the programs transferred and shall be the successor in every way to the powers, duties and functions of the secretary of health and environment for such programs, except as otherwise provided by this act. On and after the effective date of this act, for each of the programs transferred, every act performed in the exercise of such powers, duties and functions by or under the authority of the secretary for aging and disability services shall be deemed to have the same force and effect as if performed by the secretary of health and environment in whom such powers were vested prior to the effective date of this act.

(c) (1) No suit, action or other proceeding, judicial or administrative, which pertains to any of the transferred adult care home survey, certification and licensing programs, and reporting of abuse, neglect or exploitation of adult care home residents, which is lawfully commenced, or could have been commenced, by or against the secretary of health and environment in such secretary’s official capacity or in relation to the discharge of such secretary’s official duties, shall abate by reason of the transfer of such programs. The secretary for aging and disability services shall be named or substituted as the defendant in place of the secretary of health and environment in any suit, action or other proceeding involving claims arising from facts or events first occurring either on or before the effective date of this act or thereafter.

(2) No suit, action or other proceeding, judicial or administrative, pertaining to the adult care home survey, certification and licensing programs or to the reporting of abuse, neglect or exploitation of adult care home residents which otherwise would have been dismissed or concluded shall continue to exist by reason of any transfer under this act.

(3) No criminal action commenced or which could have been commenced by the state shall abate by the taking effect of this act.

(4) Any final appeal decision of the department of health and environment entered pursuant to Kan. Stat. Ann. § 39-923 et seq., and amendments thereto, Kan. Stat. Ann. § 39-1401 et seq., and amendments thereto, or the Kansas judicial review act, Kan. Stat. Ann. § 77-601 et seq., and amendments thereto, currently pertaining to adult care home certification, survey and licensing or reporting of abuse, neglect or exploitation of adult care home residents, transferred pursuant to this act shall be binding upon and applicable to the secretary for aging and disability services and the Kansas department for aging and disability services.

(5) All orders and directives under the adult care home licensure act by the secretary of health and environment in existence immediately prior to the effective date of the transfer of powers, duties and functions by this act, shall continue in force and effect and shall be deemed to be duly issued orders, and directives of the secretary for aging and disability services, until reissued, amended or nullified pursuant to law.

(d) All rules and regulations of the department of health and environment adopted pursuant to Kan. Stat. Ann. § 39-923 et seq., and amendments thereto, and in effect on the effective date of this act, which promote the safe, proper and adequate treatment and care of individuals in adult care homes shall continue to be effective and shall be deemed to be rules and regulations of the secretary for aging and disability services, until revised, amended, revoked or nullified by the secretary for aging and disability services, or otherwise, pursuant to law.

(e) All contracts shall be made in the name of “secretary for aging and disability services” and in that name the secretary for aging and disability services may sue and be sued on such contracts. The grant of authority under this subsection shall not be construed to be a waiver of any rights retained by the state under the 11th amendment to the United States constitution and shall be subject to and shall not supersede the provisions of any appropriation act of this state.