Spirit Lake leaders press committee for co‑stewardship, tax study, shelter funding and gaming oversight

Chairwoman Street of the Spirit Lake Tribe opened the committee’s Spirit Lake meeting by asking the Tribal and State Relations Committee to help resolve longstanding jurisdictional and service gaps between the tribe and state agencies. She listed a set of priorities including a requested taxation study, co‑stewardship or MOU with North Dakota Game and Fish, funding access for the tribe’s homeless shelter, and a review of class‑2 pull‑tab gaming rules.

The committee convened at Spirit Lake to hear the tribe’s concerns in person. Chairwoman Street asked the committee for help converting earlier committee discussions into concrete legislative or executive actions, saying the tribe had submitted a taxation study request and wanted follow‑up from last year’s meeting. “We currently experience students that don't quite meet the membership to be enrolled … they kind of fall in the gray area where they're not financially supported anywhere,” she said, urging the committee to support solutions for non‑beneficiary students at the tribal school.

The presentation shifted to natural resources and public‑safety concerns when Robert Greywater, the Spirit Lake Fish and Wildlife director, described recurring jurisdictional disputes over hunting and fishing inside reservation boundaries. He urged a formal agreement to define where tribal and state authority applies and to reduce enforcement conflicts: “We have issues of jurisdiction … there is so much gray area here,” Greywater said, adding that the tribe’s small fish and wildlife office (three game wardens) has limited capacity to carry out conservation and enforcement functions without clearer lines of cooperation.

Several legislators suggested drafting language to ask the executive branch and ND Game and Fish to negotiate an MOU. Senator Mather said a bill or resolution could direct agencies to bring the parties to the table, and Representative Nelson asked legislative counsel to review existing MOU templates used by other tribes as possible models.

Tribal leaders also raised economic and regulatory concerns. Delegates sought information on how charitable gaming revenues from state‑permitted class‑2 machines are tracked and distributed, and requested transparency on percentages and oversight. They recounted a Benson County resolution that had blocked a local property transfer into trust—an action the tribal attorneys later got rescinded—and asked for clearer processes and communication when county actions affect land status.

The Spirit Lake delegation reiterated a request for better tribal consultation on bills that touch Indian country and for training for legislators on treaties and tribal governance. “Our treaty of 1867 grants our people hunting and fishing rights,” Chairwoman Street said, urging more consistent government‑to‑government consultation and educational opportunities for lawmakers.

The committee did not take formal votes on these requests during the session. Members said they would consider drafting referral language and invite ND Game and Fish and other state agencies to future meetings (Standing Rock was mentioned as the next site). Committee members asked tribal leaders to provide suggested bill language or draft texts to help shape next steps.