§19. Merger and consolidation of the Fort Buelhar Lake Commission into department of public works

A. In order to merge and consolidate into one department, under authority of Section 32 of Article III of the Constitution of 1921, the executive and administrative offices of the State of Louisiana whose duties and functions are of a similar nature or character, the Fort Buelhar Lake Commission, created and provided for by the laws of Louisiana, is hereby merged and consolidated into the Department of Public Works, and hereafter the director of public works shall exercise the administrative functions of the state authorized by the constitution and laws to be exercised in relation to the administration, management and operation of the functions, programs and facilities of the said merged commission.

B. By authority of Section 32 of Article III of the Constitution of 1921, all of the functions, powers and duties of the commission enumerated in Subsection A hereof are hereby transferred to the director of the Department of Public Works, and all of the functions, programs and operations of every kind of said commission, sometimes hereinafter referred to as "agency" hereafter shall be exercised and be performed by the director of the Department of Public Works, hereinafter referred to as "director".

C. Under the transfer of functions provided by this section, any pending or unfinished business of the agency transferred shall be taken over and be completed by the director with the same power and authority as was exercised by the agency. The director shall be the successor in every way to the agency, and every act done in the exercise of such functions by the director shall be deemed to have the same force and effect under any provisions of the constitution and laws in effect on the effective date of this section as if done by the agency from which such functions are transferred.

D. Whenever this agency is referred to or designated by the constitution or by any law or contract or other document, such reference or designation hereafter shall be deemed to and shall apply to the director, and the legislature hereby specifically states that the provisions of this section are in no way and to no extent intended to, nor shall they be construed in any manner which will, impair the contractual obligations of the agency heretofore existing or of the State of Louisiana.

E. It is hereby specifically provided that all such obligations hereafter shall be the obligations of the director to the same extent as if originally made by him. In like manner, and in order to prevent any violation of the provisions, terms or conditions of any gift, donation, deed, will, trust or other instrument or disposition by which property of any nature or description has been vested in the agency affected by this merger, consolidation and transfer, or diversion from the purposes for which such property was donated, deeded, devised or bequeathed or otherwise vested in such agency, it is hereby specifically provided that each and every such instrument or disposition hereafter shall be deemed to have been vested in the director in the same manner and to the same extent as if originally so done. In addition, the provisions of this section shall not be construed or applied in such a way as to prevent full compliance by the state or any agency thereof with the requirements of any Act of the Congress of the United States or any regulation made thereunder by any officer or agency of the federal government by which federal aid or other federal assistance from the United States has been or is hereafter made available to this state or this agency, anything contained in this section to the contrary notwithstanding, and such compliance hereafter shall be accomplished by the director.

F. All books, papers, records, money, choses in action and other property heretofore possessed, controlled or used by the agency hereby merged, consolidated and transferred, in the exercise of its functions are hereby transferred to the director.

G. All employees heretofore engaged in the performance of duties in this agency in the exercise of functions transferred by this section to the director shall be transferred with functions to the director to the extent practicable or needed in order to carry out the purposes of this section and shall, so far as practicable, continue to perform the duties heretofore performed, subject, however, to the provisions of applicable state civil service law.

H. The merger and consolidation of offices and functions herein provided shall be effective on and after January 1, 1973; provided, however, that in order to effect an orderly transfer of such offices and functions the following procedure shall be effected, to wit:

(1) Not later than September 15, 1972, the agency herein merged and consolidated shall transmit to the governor, the Division of Administration and the director of the Department of Public Works such information as may be necessary to effect plans for such consolidation and merger as may be prescribed by the commissioner of administration, including but not limited to (a) a complete list of all personnel, their salaries and job descriptions; (b) a complete inventory of all furniture, fixtures and equipment of every kind and description whatsoever; (c) all financial and bookkeeping records of the agency, and (d) a summary of all floor space in state office buildings or elsewhere then being utilized.

(2) The director of the Department of Public Works thereafter shall prepare and transmit to the governor and the Division of Administration not later than November 1, 1972 a "transition plan for consolidation". This plan shall include a detailed procedure for the consolidation and merger of offices and functions, including the transfer and utilization of jobs, personnel, funds, office space and equipment, and such other information as the governor may require.

I. All monies appropriated to, dedicated to or otherwise realized through any source whatsoever by the agency herein being merged and consolidated upon the effective date of consolidation, shall be transferred to the director of the Department of Public Works and thereafter the disbursement of and accountability for said funds shall be the responsibility of the director of the Department of Public Works.

J. Upon completion of the merger, consolidation and transfer of functions on January 1, 1973, as provided by this section, the Fort Buelhar Lake Commission is abolished.

Added by Acts 1972, No. 727, §1.