New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin reached an agreement on a measure to ban horse-drawn carriage operations in the city. This ends a tradition stretching back more than 150 years.
Mamdani and Menin reached the agreement on Tuesday and will enact Romanch’s Law. The bill is named after 18-year-old tourist Romanch Mahajan, who died in June after a carriage horse bolted and overturned the vehicle in Central Park. It was the first carriage fatality in the industry’s history.
Next week, the @NYCCouncil will take a historic vote to end the horse carriage industry in Central Park with a plan to protect workers, provide a humane future for the horses, and create a safer environment for park goers.
— Speaker Julie Menin (@SpeakerMenin) October 13, 2026
The Council will vote on the measure on October 22, with 29 of 51 members co-sponsoring. Menin predicted a veto-proof majority.
From The Guardian:
Mamdani has agreed to back a bill supported by Julie Menin, the speaker of the New York city council, that would make it illegal to operate horse-drawn carriages beginning in June 2028, Politico reported on Tuesday. The city council is expected to vote on the legislation next week.
“The horse carriage industry is coming to an end in New York City. Our administration will make sure workers and owners are protected and the horses are safe,” Mamdani wrote on X on Tuesday.
A person familiar with the mayor’s office confirmed a deal had been struck.
While horse-drawn carriage rides are ubiquitous in Central Park, animal rights activists have long expressed concern over the treatment of horses. Multiple horses have died since 2020, occasionally collapsing in the middle of carriage rides.
The push for a ban increased over the summer after an 18-year-old tourist, Romanch Mahajan, died after being thrown from a carriage.
In a statement, Menin said horse-drawn carriages had “become a growing public safety liability”.
“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,” Menin said.
The horse carriage industry is coming to an end in New York City. Our administration will make sure workers and owners are protected and the horses are safe.
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) October 13, 2026
City agencies would have until April 1, 2027, to come up with a workforce transition plan covering job placement, counseling, and training. However, the idea of paying compensation to owners and drivers will only be “considered,” not guaranteed.
The law will affect about 200 drivers, owners, and stable workers and 160 horses. The Transport Workers Union, which represents the drivers, declared it would fight the bill and threatened to sue.