All persons serving as employees of the Commissioner of Charities and Corrections under the provisions of Section 2, Chapter 357, O.S.L. 1967, as amended by Section 1, Chapter 409, O.S.L. 1968 (74 O.S. Supp. 1970, Section 189), when Sections 7 and 8 of this act become effective shall be in the classified service under the State Merit System of Personnel Administration and be entitled to continue to serve as employees of the State Commissioner of Health under Section 8 of this act, provided that such employees shall not receive less salaries and benefits than they were receiving on the effective date of this act.
Okla. Stat. tit. 74, § 190