The City Council is poised to pass a bill banning the carriage horse industry in New York City, officials said Tuesday.
The divisive issue has rankled city leadership for decades.
Tuesday, City Council Speaker Julie Menin said a revised version of the legislation, called Romanch’s Law, will be passed next week.
The law is named after Romanch Mahajan, an 18-year-old who died in a carriage horse accident in Central Park in June. Since then, his family has demanded legislation named for him be passed.
The revised legislation includes a framework for helping current carriage horse drivers transition to new work, including job placement, training, career counseling and even financial compensation.
Romanch Mahajan
Deepak Mahajan
“The tragic and preventable death of 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan made clear that the status quo is no longer acceptable. Horse-drawn carriages have long been part of New York City’s history, but in an increasingly busy Central Park, this tradition has become a growing public safety liability,” City Council Speaker Julie Menin said Tuesday. “Next week, the Council will take decisive action by voting on Romanch’s Law to protect New Yorkers, visitors, and the horses themselves. Just as importantly, the legislation will require the Administration to develop a plan to connect hardworking New Yorkers employed in this industry with new economic opportunities. We can honor our city’s traditions while recognizing when it’s time to move forward in the interest of public safety, protecting workers, and strengthening our city’s economic vitality.”
“We are ready to get Romanch’s Law across the finish line on October 22 and finally bring this unsafe and outdated industry to an end,” said City Council member Christopher Marte, the bill’s sponsor. “With a majority of the Council behind us, we have a historic opportunity to protect New Yorkers, visitors, workers, and animals, and we intend to finish the job.”
“We have been working closely with the City Council, union partners, carriage drivers, animal welfare advocates, and community leaders to deliver a just transition that protects workers while ending horse-drawn carriages in Central Park once and for all,” a City Hall spokesperson said.
New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets (NYCLASS), an organization that has advocated for the legislation, said “this long-overdue ban on cruel and dangerous horse-drawn carriages will pass.”
“This moment belongs to the advocates and supporters who have spent years fighting with NYCLASS to protect horses and people on our city’s streets. Romanch’s death was a heartbreaking loss that laid bare the devastating consequences of this deadly industry. We thank his family for turning their grief into a powerful call for change,” Edita Birnkrant of NYCLASS said.
This is a developing story. Check back soon for more information.