Whenever it is provided by law that the governor shall appoint the secretary of any department of state government or the chief administrative or executive officer of any other agency of state government or that the secretary of any department of state government shall appoint the director of a division, whether any of the positions designated herein are in the classified or unclassified service of the Kansas civil service act, and whether such department, agency or division has been specified by statute or authorized by statute to be established, the governor or departmental secretary may appoint an acting secretary, chief administrative or executive officer or director to serve for a period not greater than six months. Any acting state officer appointed under authority of this section shall have and exercise all of the powers, duties and functions of the office in which he or she is acting. Subject to the approval of the state finance council, the governor or the secretary appointing an acting state officer shall fix the salary of the acting state officer if the position is in the unclassified service, and in no event shall the salary of the acting state officer be less than the amount the person appointed is receiving in such person’s permanent state employment. In the event the person appointed as an acting state officer is in the classified service prior to such appointment, such person shall retain the right to return to his or her permanent classified status without loss of any civil service right and his or her service shall be deemed to be continuous.