(a) General.

(1) Prior to submitting an application for a new section 1332 waiver to the Secretary for review and consideration, a State must provide a public notice and comment period sufficient to ensure a meaningful level of public input for the application for a section 1332 waiver.

(2) Such public notice and comment period shall include, for a State with one or more Federally-recognized Indian tribes within its borders, a separate process for meaningful consultation with such tribes.

(b) Public notice and comment period. The State shall make available at the beginning of the public notice and comment period, through its Web site or other effective means of communication, and shall update as appropriate, a public notice that includes all of the following:

(1) A comprehensive description of the application for a section 1332 waiver to be submitted to the Secretary including information and assurances related to all statutory requirements and other information consistent with guidance provided by the Secretary and the Secretary of the Treasury, as applicable.

(2) Information relating to where copies of the application for a section 1332 waiver are available for public review and comment.

(3) Information relating to how and where written comments may be submitted and reviewed by the public, and the timeframe during which comments will be accepted.

(4) The location, date, and time of public hearings that will be convened by the State to seek public input on the application for a section 1332 waiver.

(c) Public hearings.

(1) After issuing the public notice and prior to submitting an application for a new section 1332 waiver, a State must conduct public hearings regarding the State's application.

(2) Such public hearings shall provide an interested party the opportunity to learn about and comment on the contents of the application for a section 1332 waiver.

(d) Submission of initial application. After the State public notice and comment period has concluded, the State may submit an application to the Secretary for an initial waiver in accordance with the requirements set forth in §155.1308.