(The Center Square) – The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation is the first tribe to sign a new revenue-sharing agreement based on a law passed by the North Dakota Legislature last year.

Senate Bill 2377 gives the state’s five tribal nations the option of a single tax on alcohol sales split 80-20, with 80% of the tax going to the tribe, according to a news release from Gov. Doug Burgum. The remaining 20% goes to the state’s general fund.

“The MHA Nation has been contending with the impacts of alcohol being sold on our reservation for a very long time. It has greatly burdened our judicial system with domestic violence, alcohol-related injuries and deaths from vehicle accidents, and various forms of crime,” MHA Nation Chairman Mark Fox said Friday. “This new tax revenue will help relieve the tremendous amount of money our government spends yearly to provide treatment services related to alcohol addiction, social and wellness services, and supplement enhancements to law enforcement.”

Burgum said negotiations were ongoing between the state and tribal nations for years to avoid double taxation where both entities would impose a tax.

“This agreement underscores the commitment of the state of North Dakota and MHA Nation to work together for the mutual benefit of their communities,” Burgum said. “It provides exactly the kind of fair and uniform framework for collecting alcohol taxes on reservations that we hoped to achieve when signing the legislation last year.”