(a)      (1)      The agencies, officers and employees of the State of Maryland, or of any county or municipal corporation in the State, may not engage in any of the discriminatory practices which are prohibited by §§ 5, 16, 22, 23, and 24 of this article.

            (2)      However, the provisions of §§ 5 and 22 may not be construed to prevent the State of Maryland, any county, or any municipality from providing separate facilities for males and females in government-owned or government-operated public institutions or from operating or funding special or separate programs and facilities for children, the aged, or other special populations.

      (b)      (1)      In any employment discrimination case in which an agency, officer or employee of the State of Maryland, or of any county or municipality in the State, is a respondent, the rules, procedures, powers, rights, and remedies which are applicable in such a case shall be those which are applicable in a discrimination case in which a private person is the respondent.

            (2)      (i)      In discrimination cases in which an agency, officer or employee is a respondent, the power of the Human Relations Commission includes the authority to seek injunctive relief or judicial enforcement of its orders against such respondents.

                  (ii)      In a discrimination case in which the Human Relations Commission, or a member, officer or employee of the Commission is a respondent, the Governor shall specially designate a person to perform the functions usually performed by the Commission.