Not sure how that regulation would have made their cars safer in a way that's relevant to this accident?
Local governments have stopped other self-driving companies before with cease-and-desist letters with threats of serious punitive fines. I highly doubt by not buying a $150 license Uber would suddenly have carte-blanche to do what they want, that's not how it works.
If the state gov was really interested in stopping them they easily could have regardless.
https://www.theverge.com/2017/2/27/14698902/uber-self-drivin...
Nothing to revoke if they never had a license to begin with!