(a) A permit to excavate issued by any local agency, as defined in Section 4216, or any state agency, shall not be valid unless the applicant has been provided an initial ticket by a regional notification center pursuant to Section 4216.2. For purposes of this section, “state agency” means every state agency, department, division, bureau, board, or commission, including the Department of Transportation.
(b) This article does not exempt any person or corporation from Sections 7951, 7952, and 7953 of the Public Utilities Code.