Minn. Stat. § 645.17 : STATUTES, CONSTRUCTION — INTERPRETATION OF STATUTES AND RULES —CONSTRUCTION OF LAWS — PRESUMPTIONS IN ASCERTAINING LEGISLATIVE INTENT TEXT PDF In ascertaining the intention of the legislature the courts may be guided by the following presumptions: (1) the legislature does not intend a result that is absurd, impossible of execution, or unreasonable; (2) the legislature intends the entire statute to be effective and certain; (3) the legislature does not intend to violate the Constitution of the United States or of this state; (4) when a court of last resort has construed the language of a law, the legislature in subsequent laws on the same subject matter intends the same construction to be placed upon such language; and (5) the legislature intends to favor the public interest as against any private interest. Minn. Stat. § 645.17 1941 c 492 s 17