A. The Oklahoma Department of Commerce shall accept and review applications from communities seeking to become a certified retirement community. The Department shall determine which communities qualify for certification. B. In determining which communities qualify, the Department shall develop a set of criteria for evaluating and scoring the applicants and comparing each applicant against the other applicants. The criteria developed by the Department shall include:
1. The competitiveness of the tax burden on residents in the community;
2. Housing availability and cost;
3. Climatic factors;
4. Personal and community safety;
5. Work, volunteer and community service opportunities;
6. Health care and emergency medical services available to residents of the community;
7. Public transportation and transportation infrastructure;
8. Educational quality and opportunities;
9. Recreational and leisure opportunities;
10. The availability of cultural and performing arts, sporting events, festivals and other activities; and 11. The availability of services and facilities necessary to assist retirees as they age.