The Department of Veterans Service is authorized and empowered to purchase, through the Department of Administrative Services as other state purchases are made, an ambulance for use in transporting Georgia veterans to and from United States Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals and other hospitals and to, from, and between facilities operated by the State Board of Veterans Service for the care and treatment of veterans. Such purchase shall not fall within the restrictions relating to purchase, use, and furnishing of automobiles as provided in this article.