No suit, action, or other proceeding, judicial or administrative, lawfully commenced prior to July 1, 2021, or which could have been commenced prior to that date, by or against the Department of Health and Human Services, or the director or any employee thereof in such director’s or employee’s official capacity or in relation to the discharge of such person‘s official duties, shall abate by reason of the transfer of duties and functions from the Department of Health and Human Services to the Department of Environment and Energy.