§ 185. Saving clause; construction. 1. Nothing contained in this act shall affect or impair any act done or right accruing, accrued or acquired prior to the time when this act shall take effect, under or by virtue of the provisions of the civil service law as in force immediately prior to the time this act shall take effect, but the same may be asserted and enforced as fully and to the same extent as if this act had not been enacted. This act shall not affect pending actions or proceedings, but the same may be prosecuted or defended in the same manner and with the same effect as though this act had not been enacted.

2. Any act of the legislature of the year nineteen hundred fifty-eight which, in form, amends or repeals or purports to amend or repeal any provision or provisions of the civil service law as in force and effect immediately prior to the time this act shall take effect, shall be legally effective notwithstanding the repeal of such provision or provisions by this act and shall be construed as an amendment or repeal, as the case may be, of the corresponding provision or provisions of this act irrespective of whether such provision or provisions are contained in this act in one or more than one article, section, subdivision or other part thereof and such corresponding provision or provisions shall be deemed and construed to be amended, modified, changed or repealed as though the same had been expressly and in terms so amended or repealed.

3. An act of the legislature of the year nineteen hundred fifty-eight which adds or purports to add a new article, section, subdivision or other provision of law to the civil service law, as in force and effect immediately prior to the time this act shall take effect, shall be deemed and construed as having been added to such law, as amended by this act, and shall be given full effect according to its context as if the same had been added expressly and in terms of such law, as amended by this act, and shall be deemed and construed to have been inserted in such law, as amended by this act, in the appropriate respective position in regard to and as modifying the effect of the corresponding provision or provisions of such law, as amended by this act.

4. Reference in any act of the legislature of the year nineteen hundred fifty-eight to an existing article, section, subdivision or other provision of the civil service law, as in force immediately prior to the time this act shall take effect, shall be deemed and construed to refer to the corresponding article, section, subdivision or other provision of such law, as renumbered, modified or amended by this act.

5. Reference in any general, special or local law, rule, regulation or public document to any provision or provisions of the civil service law, as in force immediately prior to the time this act shall take effect, shall be deemed to be and construed as a reference to the corresponding provision or provisions of such law, as renumbered, modified or amended by this act, irrespective of whether such provision or provisions is or are contained in one or more than one title, article, section, subdivision or other part thereof.

6. The provisions added to the civil service law by this act insofar as they are substantially the same as provisions of such law repealed by this act shall be construed as a continuation of such repealed provisions, and not as new enactments.