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New York City Council Votes 40-7 to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages from June 2028
The council passed Romanch's Law on Oct 22: no new carriage licenses, and the industry winds down by June 1, 2028, ending a tradition dating to 1858. Mayor Mamdani is expected to sign; PETA pledged $50,000 toward the horses' retirement.
Why it matters
The New York City Council voted 40-7 with two abstentions on Thursday, October 22, to pass Romanch's Law (Intro 943), ending the horse-drawn carriage industry from June 1, 2028 — closing out a 168-year Central Park tradition dating to 1858. The law is named for 18-year-old tourist Romanch Mahajan, killed June 17 when the horse pulling his family's carriage bolted in Central Park — eight days after a 16-year-old carriage horse, Deniz, collapsed and died on the street.
Details
Council Member Christopher Marte sponsored the bill, with Speaker Julie Menin driving it forward; Mayor Zohran Mamdani has signaled support and is expected to sign. An amendment to delay the vote was defeated 43-3. The law requires the city to deliver a workforce transition plan by April 1, 2027 (job placement, training, career counseling) and bans selling carriage horses for slaughter. Just before the vote, PETA joined Menin at a press conference to announce a $50,000 donation toward the horses' retirement; PETA says it fought for this bill for over four decades.
Sources
PETA news release, Animal Welfare Institute, Animals 24-7 and particle.news reporting. Most sources report 40-7; AWI reported 40-2, with two abstentions consistent.
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