(a) (1) The executive director of the conservation commission shall become the executive director of the conservation division of the Kansas department of agriculture on the effective date of Kan. Stat. Ann. § 74-5,112 through 74-5,132, and amendments thereto. All other officers and employees of the state conservation commission who, immediately prior to such date, were engaged in the performance of powers, duties and functions for the state conservation commission and who are, in the opinion of the secretary of agriculture in consultation with the executive director, necessary to perform the powers, duties and functions of the state conservation commission that are transferred under Kan. Stat. Ann. § 74-5,112 through 74-5,132, and amendments thereto, shall become officers and employees of the department of agriculture and are hereby transferred to the Kansas department of agriculture on the effective date of Kan. Stat. Ann. § 74-5,112 through 74-5,132, and amendments thereto.

(2) The secretary of agriculture in consultation with the executive director shall determine such officers and employees as are necessary to enable the secretary to carry out the duties of the division of conservation.

(3) All classified employees transferred under this subsection (a) shall retain their status as classified employees. Thereafter, the secretary of agriculture may convert vacant classified positions to positions in the unclassified service under the Kansas civil service act.

(b) Officers and employees of the state conservation commission transferred by Kan. Stat. Ann. § 74-5,112 through 74-5,132, and amendments thereto, shall retain all retirement benefits and leave balances and rights that had accrued or vested prior to the date of transfer. The service of each such officer and employee so transferred shall be deemed to have been continuous. Any subsequent transfers, layoffs or abolition of classified service positions under the Kansas civil service act shall be made in accordance with the civil service laws and any rules and regulations adopted thereunder. Nothing in Kan. Stat. Ann. § 74-5,112 through 74-5,132, and amendments thereto, shall affect the classified status of any transferred person employed by the state conservation commission prior to the date of transfer.

(c) Liability for accrued compensation or salaries of each officer and employee who is transferred to the Kansas department of agriculture under Kan. Stat. Ann. § 74-5,112 through 74-5,132, and amendments thereto, shall be assumed and paid by the Kansas department of agriculture on the effective date of Kan. Stat. Ann. § 74-5,112 through 74-5,132, and amendments thereto.