City Council voted to pass legislation ending horse-drawn carriage industry in Central Park by June 2028

NEW YORK - Council Speaker Julie Menin and the New York City Council today passed Romanch's Law, which phases out horse-drawn carriages in Central Park by June 1, 2028, while ensuring an industry transition plan for drivers and small business owners dependent on the industry. The law also protects the soon-to-be retired horses from inhumane treatment or disposition.

Today, 40 Council Members voted for Romanch's Law, with 29 Council Members who signed onto the legislation sponsored by Council Member Christopher Marte. Speaker Julie Menin is the first sitting Council Speaker to support a ban on horse-drawn carriages.

"Today, the City Council made history. Our landmark vote to pass Romanch's Law is a demonstration of this Council's commitment to animal welfare, public safety, and worker protection," said Speaker Julie Menin. "The tragic and preventable death of 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan this summer underscored the need for urgent action after decades of mounting concerns. From longstanding animal welfare concerns and increasingly extreme heat conditions to historic overcrowding in Central Park, which now welcomes more than 42 million visitors annually, the status quo has become unsustainable and unsafe for horses and people alike. The Council took swift action, hearing hours of testimony from carriage drivers, animal welfare advocates, City officials, and constituents. The resulting plan establishes a deadline to phase out the industry while ensuring the development of a comprehensive workforce transition that will protect the livelihoods of the hardworking New Yorkers who depend on it. Thank you to Council Member Marte for championing this historic initiative, and to my Council colleagues and the advocates for their partnership in making it happen."

The City Council first introduced legislation to ban horse-drawn carriages in 2007. Now, 19 years later, under the leadership of Speaker Julie Menin, the Council has passed the historic ban, following nearly two decades of debate among lawmakers, community leaders, labor representatives, and advocates over the future of the industry.

In order to ensure support for workers in the industry, the bill mandates that the mayoral administration establish a workforce transition program for carriage drivers and other workers in the industry, including referrals to employment opportunities, career counseling, hiring fairs, and identification of educational opportunities. The mayoral administration will also consider compensation for horse carriage drivers, including the value of their horse drawn cab businesses, horse drawn cab licenses, and equipment.

Additionally, Speaker Menin will form a joint working group and has invited the Administration and labor to each have one representative serve alongside one Speaker's office representative. The group will work through the transition and aim to improve outcomes for workers.

The retired horses will also be protected under Romanch's Law. The mayoral administration will work with drivers to assist them in finding humane disposition opportunities. No later than June 1, 2027, every owner of a licensed horse needs to certify to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene that no horses will be sold or otherwise transferred for purposes of slaughter, resale for slaughter, or holding or transport for slaughter, or for use in a horse drawn cab business, or any inhumane purpose. Horse owners will also have the option to maintain ownership over their animals.

Beginning in 1858, horse-drawn carriages have been operating in Central Park, originally serving as a mode of transportation and evolving into a popular tourist attraction. However, the industry has since faced decades of scrutiny over animal welfare and public safety concerns. In 2007, Council Member Tony Avella introduced the first legislation seeking to repeal the operation of horse-drawn cabs, following years of advocacy and regulatory efforts. Subsequent attempts to prohibit the industry, including efforts under Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration and the City Council in 2014, were unsuccessful.

Public support for ending the industry was reignited after the collapse of a carriage horse named Ryder in August 2022. In response, then Council Member Robert Holden sponsored Ryder's Law, which aimed at replacing horse-drawn carriages with electric carriages. However, the legislation failed to pass due to concerns over costs and logistics associated with the newly proposed carriages. In November 2025, Council Member Holden reintroduced Ryder's Law, which removed the requirement of electric carriages, and instead focused on workforce development programs to help drivers and other workers transition to other employment. The bill failed to move forward as the industry remained the subject of longstanding debate between animal welfare advocates and carriage operators.

Following the tragic death of Romanch Mahajan, who was thrown from a runaway carriage in Central Park this past June, support for an industry ban reached a tipping point. Speaker Menin announced on June 17 the Council would hold a hearing on the horse-drawn carriage industry to examine potential legislative action. The hearing was held the following month at City Hall on July 14, where Council Members heard input from stakeholders, community members, City agencies, and advocates for several hours. The Council conducted a thoughtful review process to implement community feedback and produce a final, comprehensive version of the law that was voted on by the full body today.

"Today, the Council passed legislation that protects horses and passengers while supporting carriage workers as they move into new livelihoods," said Council Member Christopher Marte. "Romanch's Law provides time for that transition and requires the city to help workers access job opportunities, training, and career support. We wanted this bill to work for everyone, and our office worked hard to build the majority behind it. I thank Speaker Menin for her early public support and for working with us to strengthen the legislation and get it passed. After decades of debate, the persistence of advocates and the courage of the Mahajan family have helped us reach a point where we can retire these horses safely and help workers build their next chapter."

"Today's vote marks an important step toward making New York City safer and more humane," said Council Member Lynn Schulman, Chair of the Committee on Health. "Horse-drawn carriages have been part of New York City's history since before cars, but our city has changed drastically. Our streets and parks have become increasingly overcrowded and chaotic. This creates a massive safety risk for all. The tragic death of 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan underscores why we can no longer ignore these risks. As we move forward, we must protect the horses while also ensuring that the drivers and workers who have devoted years to this industry have a path to new employment opportunities. I want to thank Speaker Julie Menin for her leadership in bringing Romanch's Law to a vote. We have a responsibility to protect both the animals and the people whose lives are tied to this industry, while putting the safety of all New Yorkers first."

"After 19 years of relentless advocacy, the passage of Romanch's Law marks a historic victory for horses, workers, and everyone who deserves safe streets," said Edita Birnkrant, Executive Director of NYCLASS. "New York City is finally ending deadly horse carriage rides. We are enormously grateful to Speaker Julie Menin for leading the Council to this historic vote, Council Member Christopher Marte for championing this legislation, and Mayor Mamdani for helping deliver this long overdue ban. This victory belongs to every advocate who stood with NYCLASS and refused to give up. We will work with the administration to ensure the horses retire to safe, loving rescue farms where they can finally run free. Above all, we hold Romanch's family in our hearts. They turned their heartbreaking loss into a powerful call for change. Today, our city is answering that call, and Romanch's legacy will live on in the lives this law will save."

"We are deeply grateful to Speaker Julie Menin for her powerful leadership, which has brought us to this moment, and to the entire City Council for putting public safety first," said Betsy Smith, President and CEO of the Central Park Conservancy. "We carry the Mahajan family in our thoughts, and Romanch's name will forever be part of this effort to make Central Park safer for everyone. Today's vote is an important step forward for New York City. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Speaker Menin and the City to ensure a responsible transition. Central Park belongs to everyone, and everyone deserves to feel safe within it."

"The risks associated with carriage horses are inherent: forcing horses to pull carriages through New York City's busy, loud streets is unsafe and places an undeniable strain on their quality of life," said Matt Bershadker, ASPCA President and CEO. "After decades of debate, repeated accidents, incremental reforms, and renewed public concern following the tragic death of Romanch Mahajan, the New York City Council has moved beyond temporary fixes and passed Romanch's Law-a lasting solution that protects horses, supports workers, and reflects the values of a modern city. We are grateful to Council Member Marte and Speaker Menin for their leadership in passing this historic legislation, and we urge Mayor Mamdani to sign Intro. 943 into law, phasing out horse-drawn carriages while providing a responsible path forward for both the horses and the workers who depend on the industry."

"It's the end of the road for a vile industry that has forced horses to haul heavy carriages through chaotic traffic and punishing weather until they collapsed and died," said Ashley Byrne, Director of PETA. "Speaker Menin did what no sitting Council Speaker before her had the hutzpah to do: She chose the horses' welfare over greed, pushed the bill forward, and delivered the decisive leadership needed to get Romanch's Law across the finish line and the beleaguered horses off the streets. PETA salutes her determination, thanks Mayor Mamdani for his stalwart support and his commitment to ensuring a smooth transition, and is proud to mark this victory by putting up $50,000 to help these horses retire to greener pastures."

"Romanch's Law is proof that when New Yorkers make animals a political priority, City Hall listens," said Julie Cappiello, President of Voters For Animal Rights. "I've worked on this issue for close to 15 years, through hearings, failed deals, and an industry that refused to come to the table. This time was different because the political will was there. Council Member Marte re-ignited the fight. The Council's Animal Welfare Caucus, alongside dozens of organizations and New York advocates, did the hard work of building support member by member until we had a majority. Speaker Menin put the full weight of her office behind it, and Mayor Mamdani made clear he would sign it. That kind of leadership, from City Hall to Gracie Mansion, is what it takes to end a practice that has endangered horses and people for decades. Above all, we're grateful to Romanch's family, whose courage turned an unbearable loss into a law that will protect so many others."

"Today is the start of a more humane and safe approach to New York tourism - for people and horses alike," said Kathleen Schatzmann, Strategic Legislative Affairs Manager at the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF). "Romanch's law responsibly and compassionately winds down the antiquated horse-drawn cab industry by prohibiting the issuance of new licenses, while pairing the phaseout with meaningful workforce support and protections for carriage horses. Our immense appreciation goes out to Council Member Marte for sponsoring the bill, the majority of Council Members who signed on, and Speaker Menin for her leadership on this issue. We look forward to Mayor Mamdani signing Romanch's Law to help make the city safer for all."

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