Politics

New York City Council votes to phase out horse-drawn carriages by June 2028

The New York City Council voted 40-7 on Thursday, Oct. 22, to ban horse-drawn carriages, winding down a tradition more than 160 years old that has looped through Central Park since the 1800s.

The legislation, known as Romanch's Law, will phase out the carriages by June 2028. It is named after Romanch Mahajan, the 18-year-old Indian tourist killed in June after being thrown from a horse carriage — the tragedy that reignited a decades-long debate over animal welfare and public safety.

"Today's historic vote marks our commitment to animal welfare, public safety, and protecting workers," Council Speaker Julie Menin said in a statement. Mayor Zohran Mamdani supports the bill and is expected to sign it. The city must deliver a transition plan by next April for the 150-plus licensed drivers and others who work in the industry.

The Central Park Conservancy cited eight horse-related incidents in the park over the previous 13 months, including a June collapse that drew a wave of backlash. Former President Donald Trump, a New Yorker, criticized the vote, calling horse carriages a "great tradition" that "will be missed."

Sources: USA Today (Oct 22, 2026); The New York Times (Oct 22, 2026).

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