(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, no department, agency or institution of state government may lease, or offer to lease, as lessee, any grounds, buildings, office or other space except in accordance with the provisions of this article and article three of this chapter.
(b) The provisions of the article, except as to office space, do not apply to the Division of Highways of the Department of Transportation.
(c) The provisions of this article do not apply to:
(1) Public lands, rivers and streams acquired, managed or which title is vested in or transferred to the Division of Natural Resources of the Department of Commerce, pursuant to section seven, article one, chapter twenty of this code and section two, article five of said chapter;