minnesota's state government cannot operate without appropriations under law, as mandated by the minnesota constitution. however, state courts have determined that "priority one and two critical services" must continue in the event of a shutdown. services that must remain uninterrupted to avoid a potential immediate threat to public health or safety are considered "priority one", and some additional services are designated "priority two". before the shutdown, a list of priority services was compiled and prepared by minnesota management and budget, based on recommendations from state agencies.