(1) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that:

(a) Upon creation in this article, the name "soil conservation district" best reflected the activities of such districts throughout this state;

(b) To better reflect the current activities of the soil conservation districts in this state, each such district should be referred to as a "conservation district"; and

(c) The name of the state board governing all such districts should accordingly be changed from the "soil conservation board" to the "conservation board".

(2) (a) On and after July 1, 2002, the conservation board shall execute, administer, perform, and enforce the rights, powers, duties, functions, and obligations vested in the soil conservation board prior to July 1, 2002, and all employees of the soil conservation board shall be transferred to the conservation board and shall become employees thereof. Such employees shall retain all rights to the state personnel system and retirement benefits under the laws of this state, and their services shall be deemed to have been continuous. All transfers and any abolishment of positions in the state personnel system shall be made and processed in accordance with state personnel system laws and rules and regulations.

(b) On July 1, 2002, all items of property, real and personal, including office furniture and fixtures, books, documents, and records of the soil conservation board are transferred to the conservation board and shall become the property thereof.

(c) Whenever the soil conservation board is referred to or designated by any contract or other document, such reference or designation shall be deemed to apply to the conservation board. All contracts entered into by the soil conservation board prior to July 1, 2002, are hereby validated, with the conservation board succeeding to all the rights and obligations of such contracts. Any appropriations of funds from prior fiscal years open to satisfy obligations incurred under such contracts are hereby transferred and appropriated to the conservation board for the payment of such obligations.

(d) Each soil conservation district duly organized pursuant to this article prior to July 1, 2002, is hereby recognized as a duly organized conservation district, and its existence shall be deemed to have been continuous. Whenever a soil conservation district is referred to or designated by any contract or other document, such reference or designation shall be deemed to apply to the conservation district. All contracts entered into by such soil conservation district prior to July 1, 2002, are hereby validated, with the conservation district succeeding to all the rights and obligations of such contracts.

(3) On and after July 1, 2002, when any provision of the Colorado Revised Statutes refers to the soil conservation board or to a soil conservation district, said law shall be construed as referring to the conservation board or to a conservation district, respectively. The revisor of statutes is authorized to change all references in the Colorado Revised Statutes to the soil conservation board and to soil conservation districts to refer to the conservation board and conservation districts.