Some New, Some Familiar Ideas Top GOP Agenda

ST. PAUL (AP) - Minnesota Republicans are striking some familiar themes for reshaping state government - and adding a few new ones to push in a legislative session that begins next week.

Leaders of the House and Senate GOP majorities laid out their priorities Thursday. They include scaled back regulations, curbs on lawsuits, changes to teacher job security, stricter requirements for people on public assistance and the specter of public payroll cuts.

House Speaker Kurt Zellers said the overarching goal is to modernize what government does. Republicans declined to elaborate on possible work force or pay cuts, but said they want greater reliance on technology for things now done by public workers.

Many of the ideas have been pursued before, and some are certain to find difficulty getting by Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton.