No suit, action, or other proceeding, judicial or administrative, lawfully commenced prior to July 1, 2017, or which could have been commenced prior to that date, by or against the Department of Aeronautics, or the director or any employee thereof in such director's or employee's official capacity or in relation to the discharge of his or her official duties, shall abate by reason of the transfer of duties and functions from the Department of Aeronautics to the Division of Aeronautics of the Department of Transportation.