12. a. Until the Transfer Date, the authority shall not exercise any powers, rights, or duties conferred by P.L.2011, c.18 (C. 5:12-218 et al.) or by any other law in any way which will interfere with the powers, rights, and duties of the convention center authority. The authority shall not before the Transfer Date exercise any powers of the convention center authority. The authority and the convention center authority are directed to cooperate with each other so that the Transfer Date shall occur as soon as practicable after the date of enactment of P.L.2011, c.18 (C. 5:12-218 et al.), and the convention center authority shall make available information concerning its property and assets, outstanding bonds and other debts, obligations, liabilities and contracts, operations, and finances as the authority may require to provide for the retirement of any outstanding bonds, notes, or other obligations of the convention center authority, and the efficient exercise by the authority of all powers, rights, and duties conferred upon them by P.L.2011, c.18 (C. 5:12-218 et al.).

b. On the Transfer Date: (1) The authority shall assume all of the powers, rights, assets, and duties of the convention center authority to the extent provided by P.L.2011, c.18 (C. 5:12-218 et al.), and such powers shall then and thereafter be vested in and shall be exercised by the authority and the chair thereof provided, however, that the functions, organizational structure, and operations of the convention center authority shall be continued as a division existing within the authority, to be known as the Convention Center Division.

(2) The terms of office of the members of the convention center authority shall terminate, the officers having custody of the funds of the convention center authority shall deliver those funds into the custody of the chair of the authority, the property and assets of the convention center authority shall, without further act or deed, become the property and assets of the authority, and the convention center authority shall cease to exist.

(3) The officers and employees of the convention center authority shall be transferred to the authority and shall become employees of the authority and the authority shall retain those employees transferred to the authority pursuant to this section as employees of the division; provided, however, that any employee transferred to the authority pursuant to this section may be dismissed for cause, and any such employee may be dismissed if the authority determines that the transfer of the convention center authority to the authority has resulted in the duplication of responsibility of the position held by such employee, but such an employee shall be given a right of first refusal offer of similar employment if such employment shall become available as determined by the authority.

Nothing in P.L.2011, c.18 (C. 5:12-218 et al.) shall be construed to deprive any officers or employees of the convention center authority of their rights, privileges, obligations, or status with respect to any pension or retirement system. The employees shall retain all of their rights and benefits under existing collective negotiation agreements or contracts until such time as new or revised agreements or contracts are agreed to. All existing employee representatives shall be retained to act on behalf of those employees until such time as the employees shall, pursuant to law, elect to change those representatives. Nothing in P.L.2011, c.18 (C. 5:12-218 et al.) shall affect the civil service status, if any, of those officers or employees.

(4) All debts, liabilities, obligations and contracts of the convention center authority, except to the extent specifically provided or established to the contrary in P.L.2011, c.18 (C. 5:12-218 et al.), are imposed upon the authority, and all creditors of the convention center authority and persons having claims against or contracts with the convention center authority of any kind or character may enforce those debts, claims, and contracts against the authority as successor to the convention center authority in the same manner as they might have against the convention center authority, and the rights and remedies of those holders, creditors, and persons having claims against or contracts with the convention center authority shall not be limited or restricted in any manner by P.L.2011, c.18 (C. 5:12-218 et al.).

(5) In continuing the functions, contracts, obligations and duties of the convention center authority, the authority is authorized to act in its own name, in the name of the Convention Center Division, or in the name of the convention center authority as may be convenient or advisable under the circumstances from time to time.

(6) Any references to the convention center authority in any other law or regulation shall be deemed to refer and apply to the authority.

(7) All rules and regulations of the convention center authority shall continue in effect as the rules and regulations of the authority until amended, supplemented or rescinded by the authority in accordance with law. Notwithstanding any requirements of the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C. 52:14B-1 et seq.) to the contrary, the authority may adopt regulations, after notice and an opportunity for public comment, amending, supplementing, modifying, or repealing the regulations of the convention center authority. Such regulations shall be effective immediately upon filing with the Office of Administrative Law and shall be effective for a period not to exceed 18 months from the Transfer Date and they may, thereafter, be amended, adopted or readopted in accordance with the “Administrative Procedure Act.” Regulations of the convention center authority inconsistent with the provisions of this act or of regulations of the authority shall be deemed void if so judged by the authority acting pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph.

(8) All operations of the convention center authority shall continue as operations of the authority until altered by the authority as may be permitted pursuant to P.L.2011, c.18 (C. 5:12-218 et al.).

(9) The powers vested in the authority by P.L.2011, c.18 (C. 5:12-218 et al.) shall be construed as being in addition to and not in diminution of the powers heretofore vested by law in the authority to the extent not otherwise altered or provided for in P.L.2011, c.18 (C. 5:12-218 et al.).

c. As soon as practicable after the Transfer Date, the chairman shall notify the Governor and the presiding officers of each house of the Legislature that the transfer has occurred, the date of the transfer, and any other information concerning the transfer the chairman deems appropriate.

L.2011, c.18, s.12.