(a) On the effective date of this act, such officers and employees as are engaged on said date in the performance of powers, duties and functions of the existing secretary of the joint committee on legislative services and facilities or his or her office shall become officers and employees of the division of legislative administrative services, and shall retain all retirement benefits which such officers or employees had before such transfer under the laws of this state, and their services shall be deemed to have been continuous.

(b) Whenever in the statutes of this state there is reference to the joint committee on legislative services and facilities or its secretary, such reference shall mean the legislative coordinating council or such officer or committee as it shall designate.