(a) Authority. A State or CSA must, before performing any function or exercising any jurisdiction under the Act and this part, execute an Agreement meeting the requirements of the Act with the Secretary.

(b) Execution.

(1) An Agreement under paragraph (a) of this section must be signed and dated on behalf of the State or the CSA by an authorized official whose authority is certified by the State Attorney General or counsel for the CSA, unless the Agreement is signed by the Governor or the chief elected official of the State. In the event that a State does not execute an Agreement under paragraph (a) of this section, then section 3302(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (26 U.S.C. 3302(c)(3)) (loss of unemployment tax credits under section 3302(a) and (b)), applies.

(2) A State or CSA must execute an amended Agreement with the Secretary, upon the request of the Secretary, in response to legislative or regulatory changes to the TAA Program.

(3) The Secretary will execute an Agreement on behalf of the United States.

(c) Public access to Agreements. The CSA must make available for inspection and copying, an accurate copy of its Agreement under this section to any individual or organization that requests it. The CSA may furnish copies of the Agreement upon payment of the same charges, if any, as apply to the furnishing of copies of other records of the CSA.

(d) Agent of the United States. A State that has executed an Agreement under this section is an agent of the United States for purposes of receiving applications for and providing payments on the basis provided in this part and must carry out fully the purposes of the Act and this part.

(e) Breach. If the Secretary determines that the State or CSA has not fulfilled its commitments under its Agreement stated in this section, the Secretary may terminate the Agreement. The Secretary must provide the State or CSA reasonable notice and an opportunity for a hearing before the Secretary makes a finding that the State has not fulfilled its commitments under its Agreement. In the event that the Secretary determines the State or CSA has not fulfilled its commitments under its Agreement, section 3302(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (regarding loss of unemployment tax credits under section 3302(a) and (b)), applies.

(f) Review of State and CSA compliance. The Department is responsible for monitoring and reviewing State and CSA compliance with the Agreement entered into under the Act and this section.

(g) Merit staffing. States must comply with the staffing flexibility provisions contained in §618.890.

(h) Contents. Each Agreement under this section must contain provisions including, but not limited to, the following:

(1) Provisions consistent with the requirements of section 239 of the Act (19 U.S.C. 2311);

(2) Authorization for the State to issue waivers under §618.735 (waiver of training requirement for Basic TRA) and the requirement that the State submit, upon request, to the Department a copy of each such waiver and, if not already contained within each waiver, a statement of the reasons for such waiver;

(3) The requirement that the State supply data to the Department on national TAA Program performance goals identified in applicable regulations, the Department's written directives, or any other written means used to communicate such goals; and

(4) Provisions establishing TAA Program funds as the primary source of Federal assistance to trade-affected workers. This means that following certification of a petition under subpart B of this part, the costs for providing services to a worker group should shift from WIOA and other programs to the TAA Program.

(i) Administration absent State Agreement.

(1) In any State in which no Agreement under this section is in effect, the Secretary will administer the Act and this part through appropriate arrangements made by the Department.

(2) The Secretary will administer TAA in accordance with this part and the provisions of the applicable State law, except to the extent that such State law is inconsistent with this part, section 303 of SSA (42 U.S.C. 503), or section 3304(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (26 U.S.C. 3304(a)).

(3) The Secretary will provide for a fair hearing for any individual whose application for TAA is denied. A final determination as to eligibility for TAA will be subject to review as provided in 42 U.S.C 405(g), as required by section 240(b) of the Act.

(4)

(i) The Department will issue administrative guidance providing additional detail on the operation of the TAA Program within that State.

(ii) Prior to providing administrative guidance, the Department will consult with the Governor, other State agencies, neighboring States, and other organizations to determine how best to ensure access to the TAA Program within that State. Options to administer the program that the Department may consider include, but are not limited to:

(A) Executing an agreement with another State to operate the TAA Program;

(B) Executing an agreement with a qualified organization within the State that adheres to all TAA Program requirements in this part to operate the TAA Program; and

(C) Directly administering the TAA Program.

(j) Program coordination. State agencies providing employment and case management services under subpart C of this part and training under subpart F of this part must, in accordance with their Agreements under this section, coordinate such services and payments with programs and services provided by WIOA and with the State agency administering the State law. Any agency of the State jointly administering such provisions under this Agreement must be considered to be a CSA for purposes of this part.