CNMI government shuts down due to lack of 2027 budget

By Pacific Island Times News Staff

The Northern Mariana Islands government suspended operations today, with an undetermined number of employees furloughed, after Gov. David Apatang declared a shutdown due to the lack of an approved budget for the new fiscal year.

The governor’s office received House Bill 24-108, the appropriations act of 2027, at 10:36 a.m. on Sept. 30, 2026, affording insufficient time to properly review the legislation.

The CNMI law prohibits drawing of funds from the government treasury if “a balanced budget is not approved before the first day of the fiscal year.”

Government offices are closed, except for fully federally funded positions and autonomous agencies and public corporations not paid out of the general fund.

The governor's executive order authorizes "essential services" to continue.

The governor determines what positions qualify as "essential services," which was not specifically defined by any law.

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