832                              Laws of Maryland                       Ch. 401

THEIR MERIT SYSTEM STATUS, EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE
SPECIFICALLY PROVIDED IN THIS ACT.

Sec. 11 10. And be it further enacted, That all persons who are as
of June 30, 1970, classified employees of any board, commission, or

agency abolished by this Act, shall retain their merit systems status

except as otherwise provided in this Act, and shall be entitled to all
of the rights conferred upon such employees by Article 41, Section 6,
of the Annotated Code of Maryland.

Sec. 12 11 10. And be it further enacted, That all books, papers,
files, records, furniture, fixtures, and all other personal property
owned by or in the custody, as of June 30, 1970, of any board, com-
mission or agency abolished by this Act, shall be transferred to and be
in the ownership or custody of the Department of Public Safety and
Correctional Services created in this Act.

Sec. 13 12 11. And be it further enacted, That all appropriations
and credits on the books, papers, and accounts of any department or
other agency of this State, as of June 30, 1970, for and to the credit
of any board, commission or agency abolished by this Act, and all
liabilities and obligations as of June 30, 1970, of any board, commis-
sion or agency abolished by this Act, shall be transferred to and
become the appropriations, credits, liabilities, and obligations of the
Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services herein
created.

Sec. 14 13 12. And be it further enacted, That all forms of the
boards, commissions, offices or other agencies included within the De-
partment of Public Safety and Correctional Services existing on June
30, 1970, together with all rules, regulations, orders and other direc-
tives relating thereto, or promulgated thereby, and then in effect,
shall continue in force pending exercise by the Secretary or the
boards, commissions, offices or agencies of the powers, duties and
responsibilities vested in him or them by this Act or by other pro-
visions of law.

Sec. 15 14 13. And be it further enacted, That all rules, regulations,
forms, orders and directives promulgated by or in effect for any
department, board, commission, office or other agency abolished by
this Act, shall continue in force unless and until changed by the
Secretary or the successor agency.

Sec. 16 15 14. And be it further enacted, That if any part of this
Act, or any section or part of the section thereof, shall be held to be
unconstitutional or invalid for any reason, such unconstitutionally or
invalidity shall not affect the remaining parts of this Act, or any
section or part of a section hereof, the General Assembly hereby
declaring that it would have passed the remaining parts of this Act,
or sections or parts of sections hereof, if such unconstitutionality or
invalidity had been known; and to this end, all parts, sections, and
parts of sections of this Act are declared to be severable.

Sec. 17 16 15. And be it further enacted, That all laws or parts of
laws, public general or public local, inconsistent with the provisions of
this Act, are hereby repealed to the extent of any such inconsistency.