(1) The department of early learning is hereby abolished and its powers, duties, and functions are hereby transferred to the department of children, youth, and families. All references to the director or the department of early learning in the Revised Code of Washington shall be construed to mean the secretary or the department of children, youth, and families.
(2)(a) All reports, documents, surveys, books, records, files, papers, or written material in the possession of the department of early learning shall be delivered to the custody of the department of children, youth, and families. All cabinets, furniture, office equipment, motor vehicles, and other tangible property employed by the department of early learning shall be made available to the department of children, youth, and families. All funds, credits, or other assets held by the department of early learning shall be assigned to the department of children, youth, and families.
(b) Any appropriations made to the department of early learning shall, on July 1, 2018, be transferred and credited to the department of children, youth, and families.
(c) If any question arises as to the transfer of any personnel, funds, books, documents, records, papers, files, equipment, or other tangible property used or held in the exercise of the powers and the performance of the duties and functions transferred, the director of financial management shall make a determination as to the proper allocation and certify the same to the state agencies concerned.
(3) All employees of the department of early learning are transferred to the jurisdiction of the department of children, youth, and families. All employees classified under chapter
41.06 RCW, the state civil service law, are assigned to the department of children, youth, and families to perform their usual duties upon the same terms as formerly, without any loss of rights, subject to any action that may be appropriate thereafter in accordance with the laws and rules governing state civil service.
(4) All rules and all pending business before the department of early learning shall be continued and acted upon by the department of children, youth, and families. All existing contracts and obligations shall remain in full force and shall be performed by the department of children, youth, and families.
(5) The transfer of the powers, duties, functions, and personnel of the department of early learning shall not affect the validity of any act performed before July 1, 2018.
(6) If apportionments of budgeted funds are required because of the transfers directed by this section, the director of financial management shall certify the apportionments to the agencies affected, the state auditor, and the state treasurer. Each of these shall make the appropriate transfer and adjustments in funds and appropriation accounts and equipment records in accordance with the certification.
(7)(a) The bargaining units of employees at the department of early learning existing on July 1, 2018, that are transferred to the department of children, youth, and families shall be considered separate appropriate units within the department of children, youth, and families unless and until modified by the public employment relations commission pursuant to Title 391 WAC. The exclusive bargaining representatives recognized as representing the bargaining units of employees at the department of early learning existing on July 1, 2018, shall continue as the exclusive bargaining representatives of the transferred bargaining units without the necessity of an election.
(b) The public employment relations commission may review the appropriateness of the collective bargaining units that are a result of the transfer from the department of early learning to the department of children, youth, and families under chapter 6, Laws of 2017 3rd sp. sess. The employer or the exclusive bargaining representative may petition the public employment relations commission to review the bargaining units in accordance with this section.