(a) The Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation is hereby established within the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety. The executive and administrative head of the Division of Correction and Rehabilitation shall be the Commissioner appointed pursuant to § 15A-3-3 of this code.

(b) Effective July 1, 2018, the Division of Corrections and the Division of Juvenile Services are hereby abolished. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the powers and authority of those divisions are hereby transferred to the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

(c) Effective July 1, 2018, the powers and authority of the Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority Board, in relation to all functions of correctional operations, are hereby transferred to the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority Board shall only retain the powers authorized in § 15A-8-1 et seq. of this code.

(d) Whenever in this code a reference is made to the Division of Corrections, it shall be construed to mean the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Wherever in this code a reference is made to the Division of Juvenile Services, it shall be construed to mean the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Whenever in this code reference is made to the Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority Board in relation to operations of any of the regional jails, it shall be construed to mean the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

(e) Any person employed by the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation who on the effective date of this article is a classified service employee shall, within the limits contained in § 29-6-1 et seq. of this code, remain in the classified service system as a covered employee.

(f) Where reference in this article is made to the “division”, it shall mean the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.