OKLAHOMA CITY – A bill to allow residents to have alligators as pets probably won’t survive the 2026 legislative session, the leader of the Oklahoma Senate said Thursday.
Sen. Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, said it was doubtful that Senate Bill 2087, written by Sen. Jonathan Wingard, R-Ada, makes it to the governor’s desk.
The bill would legalize the raising of alligators hatched from eggs in captivity without a permit. The proposal would change current state law which requires a permit and written permission from the director of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation before an alligator can be owned.
SB 2087 was assigned to the Senate’s Agriculture and Wildlife committee. Senate records show that the committee has yet to meet or release an agenda.
Wingard said the bill’s current language would allow individuals to raise alligators as pets if the animal wasn’t taken from the wild. He said the proposal was a constituent request. He said he was also exploring ways to determine if there is a market in Oklahoma for alligator meat and skin.
However, Paxton told a gathering of media representatives that alligator bill probably wouldn’t happen this session.
“I’m one of the guys who gets up before sunup and goes out and takes care of cattle,” Paxton said. “There’s a lot of things I have to deal with when I’m walking through those pastures. If my neighbor lets his alligator go and goes to my farm pond, I have an issue. So, I do not see myself supporting that bill.” While Paxton approached the alligator bill in a lighthearted way, he did brag on Wingard, saying his alligator bill was an example of a lawmaker listening to a constituent. “This is an example of a senator listening to a constituent,” Paxton said. “He’s learning. I will say that he works hard and has asked for help in becoming a better senator.” Data from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation notes that the state has between 100 and 200 alligators. In addition, most native alligators can only be found in the extreme southeastern corner of the state. State lawmakers have until late May to finish their work.