The Passamaquoddy Tribe and the Penobscot Nation are authorized to create respective tribal school committees, in substitution for the committees heretofore provided for under the laws of the State. Such tribal school committees shall operate under the laws of the State applicable to school administrative units. The presently constituted tribal school committee of the respective tribe or nation shall continue in existence and shall exercise all the authority heretofore vested by law in it until such time as the respective tribe or nation creates the tribal school committee authorized by this section. [PL 1979, c. 732, §§1, 31 (NEW).]