Any proceeding or other business or matter undertaken or commenced, prior to the passage of chapter 660 of the Public Laws of 1939, by a department, division, or other administrative agency, the functions, powers, and duties whereof were assigned and transferred to a new department, and still pending at the time of the passage of chapter 660, may be conducted and completed by the head of the new department, or by a subordinate under his or her direction, in the same manner and under the same terms and conditions and with the same effect as though it were undertaken or commenced and were conducted or completed by the department, division, or other administrative agency prior to the transfer.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-21-8