CO HB1223

Directs the executive director of the Department of Public Health and Environment to convene the governor's expert emergency epidemic response committee by August 30, 2018 to review autism data from 1990-2017 across all Colorado counties and age groups to determine if an autism epidemic exists.

If the committee determines an autism epidemic exists, the executive director shall advise the governor to declare an autism epidemic by September 30, 2018 and recommend reasonable measures to address it, including updates to departmental safety net program plans and specification of the state's funding contribution percentage.

Defines "autism" to include autistic disorder, autism spectrum disorder, pervasive developmental disorder, and Asperger's syndrome as developmental disabilities causing substantial impairments in social interaction, communication, and behavior.

Requires the committee to prepare and distribute a report documenting its findings and reasoning to the governor, executive director, and all members of the general assembly by September 30, 2018, regardless of whether an epidemic is determined to exist.

Establishes that Colorado has experienced a 41,729% increase in autism diagnoses since 1992, with current rates of 10.8 cases per 1,000 Coloradans as of 2012, exceeding the CDC's 7.7 cases per 1,000 threshold used to declare influenza epidemics.