(a) If the chief elected official and Local WDB in a local area submits a request for initial designation, the Governor must approve the request if, for the 2 program years preceding the date of enactment of WIOA, the following criteria are met:

(1) The local area was designated as a local area for purposes of WIA;

(2) The local area performed successfully; and

(3) The local area sustained fiscal integrity.

(b) Subject to paragraph (c) of this section, after the period of initial designation, if the chief elected official and Local WDB in a local area submits a request for subsequent designation, the Governor must approve the request if the following criteria are met for the 2 most recent program years of initial designation:

(1) The local area performed successfully;

(2) The local area sustained fiscal integrity; and

(3) In the case of a local area in a planning region, the local area met the regional planning requirements described in WIOA sec. 106(c)(1).

(c) No determination of subsequent eligibility may be made before the conclusion of Program Year (PY) 2017.

(d) The Governor:

(1) May review a local area designated under paragraph (b) of this section at any time to evaluate whether that the area continues to meet the requirements for subsequent designation under that paragraph; and

(2) Must review a local area designated under paragraph (b) of this section before submitting its State Plan during each 4-year State planning cycle to evaluate whether the area continues to meet the requirements for subsequent designation under that paragraph.

(e) For purposes of subsequent designation under paragraphs (b) and (d) of this section, the local area and chief elected official must be considered to have requested continued designation unless the local area and chief elected official notify the Governor that they no longer seek designation.

(f) Local areas designated under §679.240 or States designated as single-area States under §679.270 are not subject to the requirements described in paragraph (b) of this section related to the subsequent designation of a local area.

(g) The Governor may approve, under paragraph (c) of this section, a request for designation as a local area from areas served by rural concentrated employment programs as described in WIOA sec. 107(c)(1)(C).