(a) A commissioner of the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall be appointed by the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, as provided in §6-7-2a of this code.

(b) Effective July 1, 2018, the offices of Commissioner of Division of Corrections, the Director of Juvenile Services, and the Executive Director of the Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority are hereby abolished. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the powers and authority of those officers are vested in the Commissioner of the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

(c) The commissioner shall take and subscribe to the oath prescribed by the Constitution for public officials and shall execute an official bond in a penalty of $15,000, conditioned as required by law. Premiums on the bond shall be paid from appropriations made for the commissioner’s office. The bond shall be approved as to form by the Attorney General and as to sufficiency by the Governor and, when fully executed and approved, shall be filed in the office of the Secretary of State.

(d) Whenever in this code, reference is made to the Commissioner of the Division of Corrections or the Director of the Division of Juvenile Services, it shall be construed to mean the Commissioner of the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Whenever in this code reference is made to the Executive Director of the Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority, in relation to operations of any of the regional jails, it shall be construed to mean the Commissioner of the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.