The Big Apple is iconic for many reasons, including its creative culture, crowded streets, and Central Park. Despite the excitement and energy the city evokes, New York can be a very overwhelming city—not just for the tourists, but also for the horses that can get spooked easily. Whether you see the horses as a hallmark of the park or an animal welfare issue, this decades-long debate over whether horse-drawn carriages should be allowed to work in the park may finally be coming to an end with Romanch’s Law.
The bill is named after Romanch Mahajan, an 18-year-old from India who died after being thrown from a runaway carriage in June—the first and only documented death of this nature in the business’s 160-year history. The mayor’s office wasted no time in the campaign to pass this law. Council Member Christopher Marte said the administration recognized the urgency of the issue and worked to secure a broad majority in the City Council.
“When we introduced Romanch’s Law, we knew it was the right thing to do and that we needed to move quickly,” Marte said in a statement. “After the tragedies we witnessed this summer, there was no time to waste.” He credited Council Speaker Julie Menin’s early public support with helping move the bill forward, bringing a debate that had persisted for nearly 30 years closer to a resolution.
Menin has been a key leader in this effort. “Horse-drawn carriages have long been part of New York City’s history, but in an increasingly busy Central Park, this tradition has become a growing public safety liability,” she asserts. Menin wants to end this era of New York history gracefully, noting the importance of protecting the public and the horses, while making a plan to “connect hardworking New Yorkers employed in this industry with new economic opportunities.”
On October 13, Mayor Zohran Mamdani expressed his support and priorities, writing on X (formerly Twitter), “The horse carriage industry is coming to an end in New York City. Our administration will make sure workers and owners are protected and the horses are safe.”
Under the proposal, the city would establish employment programs to help affected workers find new careers. The city would also help carriage owners find humane placements for their horses as the legislation explicitly prohibits selling or transferring the animals for slaughter or for use in another horse-drawn carriage business.
The proposed phaseout, however, raises questions about what will happen to the people whose livelihoods depend on the industry. Horse-carriage drivers and other workers have long argued that a ban would leave them without a reliable way to earn a living. They want real economic support rather than proposed transition plans.
The Transportation Workers Union (TWU), which represents carriage drivers, has opposed the legislation. TWU President John Samuelsen said in a statement, “Council Speaker Menin used the tragic death of a tourist to contrive a public safety crisis. This is disgraceful political opportunism, and Zohran should not simply go along with it, particularly when immigrant families’ livelihoods are being destroyed. This entire situation is reprehensible.”
On the other hand, Steve Nislick, president of New Yorkers for Clean, Livable, and Safe Streets (NYCLASS), says in a statement, “This legislation means so much to those who have spent years fighting with us to protect horses and prevent tragedy.” Betsy Smith, president & CEO of the Central Park Conservancy, says, “For the Central Park Conservancy, this has always been a matter of public safety. We hope for a safe phaseout over the next 20 months that will protect New Yorkers and ensure no one else ever suffers the fate of Romanch Mahajan.”
The Council will bring the bill to a vote on October 22, and if passed as supporters expect, it will prevent carriage permits from being issued going forward.
Speaker Julie Menin may end a decades-long debate with one law that will protect the public and the horses, and that carriage owners can get the support and aid they need to land on their feet.
This bill hopes to become a law and is optimistic because of the support from council members and Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
The horse carriage industry is coming to an end in New York City.
Our administration will make sure workers and owners are protected and the horses are safe.
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) October 13, 2026
The debate is still ongoing for now. Animal rights activists and park officials are fully in support of the bill, but carriage drivers are unsatisfied with the support offered.
Sources: Speaker Julie Menin Announces New York City Council Will Vote on Romanch’s Law; New York City’s iconic horse-drawn carriages expected to take their last trot; New York City moves to ban horse-drawn carriages
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