Following a deadly alligator attack in Central Florida, U.S. Rep. Greg Steube introduced legislation on Thursday aimed at examining whether federal species rules interfere with state efforts to remove nuisance reptiles from residential and commercial areas.
The bill, titled the Gathering Alligator Treatment, Oversight, and Response Act of 2026, or the GATOR Act, directs the Comptroller General and the Department of the Interior to conduct a comprehensive study on the impact of federal regulations under the Endangered Species Act.
The move comes after a 13-foot alligator killed a 31-year-old Oviedo woman near her home, bringing renewed scrutiny to human-wildlife conflicts as Florida’s suburban growth continues to expand into natural wetlands.
“Florida families deserve to protect their children and pets in their own backyards,” Steube, a Republican representing Florida’s 17th Congressional District, said in a statement. “The American alligator is an apex predator, and it’s been fully recovered since 1987. Federal look-alike rules meant to stop trafficking remain in place, but they may be discouraging Floridians from using our state’s nuisance alligator program. The GATOR Act simply studies whether these federal trade enforcements have influenced the way states manage nuisance gators or the way residents report them.”
While the American alligator was declared biologically recovered nearly four decades ago and is not listed as endangered or threatened, the species remains federally classified as “threatened due to similarity of appearance.”
This rule was originally established to prevent poachers from selling protected crocodile hides disguised as alligator leather in interstate commerce.
If passed, the legislation would require federal officials to consult with state wildlife agencies to assess several key areas: whether the look-alike classification affects state wildlife management programs, whether it has contributed to alligator population growth beyond a full recovery, and whether it has played a role in the spread of invasive common and brown caimans in Florida.
The study would also evaluate whether the federal rule makes it harder to remove nuisance alligators and invasive caimans from waterways near neighborhoods, businesses, and parks.
The proposed legislation does not immediately change existing federal statutes or alter how state agencies currently handle nuisance alligator programs. Instead, it mandates a formal federal review to determine if current oversight models have unintentionally led communities to treat thriving alligator populations as a threatened species.
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