JEFFERSON CITY (AP) – Republican lawmakers in Missouri’s Capitol often bristle at rules and requirements handed down from the federal government, saying they favor local authority in most matters.

However, several GOP-supported proposals this year aim to hand down similar mandates to cities and counties across the state.

Republican legislators say proposals that would block local authorities from pursuing business policies or banning plastic bags are essential to protecting conservative values and boosting the economy, even as critics line up to call such legislation disingenuous.