On the effective date of this act, such officers and employees as are engaged on said date in the performance of powers, duties and functions of the existing revisor of statutes, existing research department of the Kansas legislative council, or existing joint committee on legislative services and facilities shall become officers and employees of the office of revisor of statutes, legislative research department or of the legislature, as the case may be, and shall retain all retirement benefits which such officers or employees had before such transfer under the laws of this state, and their services shall be deemed to have been continuous.