The New York City Council has voted for legislation that would shut down New York City’s horse carriage industry after more than 160 years in operation.
The measure next moves to Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who worked out a deal with Council leadership to support it over objections from Transport Workers Union Local 100, which represents carriage horse drivers and maintains their horses are well cared for and safe.
Romanch’s Law — named after a teen tourist who died this summer after he was thrown from a runaway horse carriage in Central Park — would phase out such rides by June 2028. It passed the Council Thursday 40-7, with two abstentions.
The bill would also mandate that the horses’ next chapters be humane, barring owners from selling or transferring them for the purpose of slaughter or for use in other horse-drawn carriage business.
And it would require the mayor to establish a transition plan for the industry’s workers by April of next year, including by providing career counseling, civil service training and referrals to other employment opportunities, Council Speaker Julie Menin said at a press conference on Thursday, hours ahead of the vote.
“It even allows horse owners to keep their horses if they so choose,” Menin said. “It’s going to support the transition for the more than 150 active horse carriage drivers because we want to make sure that they are protected. We will help find them new jobs over the next two years.”
The bill had overwhelming support, with 29 co-sponsors in the 51-member Council. Menin announced that the bill was scheduled for a vote earlier this month, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani agreed to sign the bill into law.
Animal rights advocates have been calling for the city to ban carriage horses for years, with renewed calls whenever a carriage horse collapsed at the park or on a Manhattan street. The issue was central to Bill de Blasio’s 2013 mayoral campaign after he vowed to shutter the industry his first week in office, but wasn’t able to during his eight-year tenure.
In June, the movement regained momentum after a spooked carriage horse ran away from its driver, smashing into another horse-drawn carriage and killing 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan.
“When Romanch Mahajan was taken from his family, from our city, from the world, it was a turning point. And Romanch’s death was one death too many, and the law that we are going to pass in his name will prevent the next one,” Menin said at a press conference ahead of the vote on Thursday.
The city’s horse carriage drivers have long argued reforms would be better than phasing out their industry altogether. After the plans to pass the law were announced, drivers told Gothamist they feel betrayed and that they’re being unfairly forced out of business.
The issue has divided New Yorkers for years and even caught the attention of President Donald Trump, a Queens native.
“So sad to see the beloved Central Park Horse-drawn Carriage Industry ending after over a Century, based largely on one tragic accident,” the president posted on Truth Social Thursday. “When there is a car accident in the area, of which there are many, they don’t stop cars from entering the Park. So why would they stop the Carriages? It was a Great Tradition. Another piece of History that’s gone. It will be missed!”
This story has been updated with more information including a statement from the Council president, and the results of the Council vote.