(a) Except as otherwise specifically provided by subsection (b) or other law, the secretary of health and environment shall appoint, subject to the Kansas civil service act, all subordinate officers and employees of the respective divisions, bureaus, sections, offices or other units of the department of health and environment, and all such subordinate officers and employees shall be within the classified service under the Kansas civil service act.

(b) On and after July 1, 1983, except as otherwise specifically provided by law, each director of each division of the department of health and environment and the chief administrative officer of the bureau of oil field and environmental geology of the division of environment shall be in the unclassified service under the Kansas civil service act.