Bill > HB722

This bill amends Missouri law to prevent local governments, referred to as "political subdivisions" (which include counties, cities, towns, and villages), from enacting certain ordinances that affect businesses and employers. Specifically, it grants merchants, itinerant vendors, and peddlers the choice to offer customers either paper or plastic bags for purchased items, and prohibits political subdivisions from banning, taxing, or charging fees for the use of these bags, or from prohibiting consumers from using reusable bags. Additionally, the bill prevents political subdivisions from requiring employers (excluding public employers) to provide employees with minimum or living wages, or employment benefits (which are defined broadly to include things like health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off) that go beyond what is already mandated by federal or state laws, with an exception for local minimum wage ordinances that were in effect before August 28, 2015.