(1) (a) On July 1, 2008, the chief information officer of each state agency and on or after July 1, 2008, but on or before July 1, 2012, the employees of such state agencies designated pursuant to subsection (2) of this section shall be transferred to the office and shall become employees of the office. Each officer transferred to the office pursuant to this subsection (1) and his or her successor may continue to act as the officer for the state agency from which he or she was transferred and shall maintain any duties or responsibilities related to the information technology resources of such agency. Each officer transferred to the office shall report to and be under the immediate supervision of the chief information officer of the office.

(b) The employees of an agency that support the information technology functions of such agency shall continue to be under the supervision of the chief information officer of such agency until the chief information officer of the office determines that it is necessary for those positions or functions to come under the control and supervision of the office.

(2) The chief information officer of the office and the executive director and chief information officer of each state agency shall jointly identify the positions and functions affiliated with the management and administration of such agency's information technology resources and enterprises that will be transferred to and centralized in the office pursuant to subsection (1) of this section.

(3) Any such officer or employees who are classified employees in the state personnel system at the time of the transfer shall retain all rights to the personnel system and retirement benefits pursuant to the laws of the 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 for the purposes of section 24-50-124.

(4) A chief information officer and the employees under the supervision of the officer transferred pursuant to this section may continue operations at the location of such officer's state agency. Nothing in this subsection (4) shall require the relocation of an officer or employees under the supervision of the officer or such operations. The chief information officer of the office may relocate an officer and select employees in furtherance of centralizing the management of information technology in state agencies.