(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;

(2) The Higher Education Policy Commission;

(3) The West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education;

(4) The institutional boards of governors in accordance with the provisions of subsection (v), section four, article five, chapter eighteen-b of this code;

(5) The real property held by the Department of Agriculture, including all institutional farms, easements, mineral rights, appurtenances, farm equipment, agricultural products, inventories, farm facilities and operating revenue funds for those operations;

(6) The real property held by the West Virginia State Conservation Committee, including all easements, mineral rights, appurtenances and operating revenue funds for those operations; or

(7) The Adjutant General's Department and the West Virginia National Guard, including all real property, acquisitions, leases, easements, armories, armory projects, appurtenances and operating revenue funds for those operations.