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New York City lawmakers reached a deal with Mayor Zohran Mamdani to support legislation phasing out the horse-drawn carriage industry by June 1 2028 a breakthrough after repeated failed attempts over more than a decade according to a Politico report. The bill known as Romanch’s Law was named for 18-year-old Indian tourist Romanch Mahajan who died in June after jumping from a runaway carriage in Central Park the first such human fatality in the industry’s history Reuters reported. A Manhattan borough president’s office assessment found 40 horse deaths and 96 documented incidents since 1982 prompting animal rights groups to argue the animals face inhumane conditions in the city’s busy streets. A Zenith Research poll cited in the borough president’s August report showed 68 percent of New Yorkers back ending the practice which has operated in Central Park since the 1800s.
City Council Speaker Julie Menin said the tragic death of Mahajan made clear the status quo was no longer acceptable and that the tradition had become a growing public safety liability in an increasingly busy park according to a CNN account of her statement. The proposed law would bar new licenses after existing ones expire on May 31 2028 while allowing limited exceptions for temporary exhibits or performances NBC New York detailed. It also directs city agencies to develop a workforce transition plan by April 1 2027 including job training counseling and referrals though it stops short of guaranteeing financial compensation for affected workers.
The Transport Workers Union Local 100 which represents roughly 150 to 200 drivers stable workers and owners blasted the measure as lacking meaningful economic relief with union president John Samuelsen calling it disgraceful political opportunism in a statement to the New York Post. Drivers many of them immigrants nearing retirement age expressed fears of unemployment or even homelessness telling Gothamist and the Post they felt betrayed after investing heavily in their businesses and horses with no clear path for the animals beyond a prohibition on selling them for slaughter. One driver with more than 40 years of experience noted the carriages had survived the pandemic with the same number of operations while other city businesses closed according to an amNewYork interview.
Mamdani’s administration has emphasized it worked with the council union partners drivers animal advocates and community leaders to ensure a just transition that protects workers while ending the rides once and for all a City Hall spokesperson told Newsday. The agreement marks a shift from earlier mayoral efforts including those by Bill de Blasio and Eric Adams that stalled due to union opposition as detailed in a New Yorker overview of the issue’s political history. Provisions in the bill require owners to notify the Mayor’s Office of Animal Welfare before disposing of horses and explicitly forbid transfers to other carriage operations or slaughter facilities Fox News reported.
Opponents within the industry have highlighted that e-bikes and other vehicles in the park cause far more accidents than the slow-moving carriages yet have faced less scrutiny according to statements gathered by the Associated Press. A carriage owner who co-owns Clinton Park stables since 2003 told Gothamist the drivers have become scapegoats in a changing city environment. The council vote scheduled for October 22 comes after a contentious July hearing that highlighted divisions between welfare activists and the union as covered by multiple outlets including amNewYork.
While the ban would eliminate an iconic tourist draw that generates rides priced from $72 for 20 minutes to over $400 for longer tours the focus has shifted to implementation of the transition framework. Councilman Chris Marte the bill’s primary sponsor said he expects strong support with 29 co-sponsors already lined up in comments to CNN. The legislation aligns New York with other cities such as Seattle and Philadelphia that have already prohibited horse-drawn carriages according to a July report from The City Reporter.
