The vote turns a proposal into city policy
The New York City Council voted Thursday to phase out horse-drawn carriage rides in Central Park, moving a long-running political dispute into an implementation period that will extend through June 1, 2028. The measure, known as Romanch’s Law, stops the city from issuing new carriage licenses and sets the date when existing operations must end.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office said he intends to sign the bill. The law was named for Romanch Mahajan, an 18-year-old tourist who died after being thrown from a runaway carriage in June. Supporters cited that death, earlier accidents and concerns about animal welfare as reasons the industry no longer belongs among the park’s pedestrians, cyclists and vehicle traffic.
A transition plan is now required
The legislation directs the administration to produce a workforce and business transition plan by April 2027. The plan must address job referrals, career counseling and educational opportunities for drivers and other workers. It also permits the city to consider compensation for people whose livelihoods depend on the carriage trade, although the bill does not establish a specific payment formula or funding amount.
More than 150 drivers remain in the industry, according to Associated Press reporting. Some are employees; others are small operators whose licenses, horses, equipment and stable arrangements represent years of investment. The mayor’s office said discussions about workforce assistance and possible compensation have begun. The quality of that process will determine whether the long lead time produces an orderly transition or simply prolongs uncertainty.
Care of the horses remains central
The measure requires a plan for the humane placement of carriage horses and bars them from being sent to slaughter. Owners and animal-welfare groups will need to document where animals go, whether they are adopted, retired to sanctuaries or transferred to other suitable work, and who will pay for transport and continuing care.
Operators argue that they care for the animals and that the city is eliminating a regulated tradition and viable livelihood. The Transport Workers Union and industry representatives have indicated that a legal challenge is possible after the bill is signed. Supporters counter that modern street conditions create unacceptable risks and that motor-free tourism alternatives can replace the rides.
The cultural argument helps explain why the issue remained unresolved for decades. Carriages have operated around Central Park for more than 150 years and appear in generations of tourism imagery, weddings and family outings. Yet longevity does not settle a modern safety question. Lawmakers ultimately concluded that the tradition’s symbolic value did not outweigh the risks they identified, while opponents maintain that stronger enforcement could have preserved it.
The next deadlines matter
Passage does not end carriage operations immediately. Rides can continue during the transition, which means licensing, inspections, insurance and animal-care rules remain important until the effective date. City agencies will also have to decide how to enforce the cutoff and how to monitor the disposition of horses and business assets afterward.
The Council’s vote settles the policy direction but leaves difficult economic and logistical questions to the next eighteen months. Transparent milestones, consultation with workers and documented horse placements will be the clearest tests of whether the city can close a historic industry while honoring the protections lawmakers attached to the ban. Regular public progress reports would make those commitments easier to evaluate.
Sources: New York City Council vote announcement · Associated Press reporting. Reporting reviewed October 23, 2026.