NYC Council Bans Horse-Drawn Carriages in Central Park

The New York City Council voted 40 to 7, with two abstentions, on Wednesday to approve legislation phasing out the horse-drawn carriage industry in Central Park by spring 2028, ending a practice that dates back more than 160 years. Known informally as Romanch's Law, the bill is named for Romanch Mahajan, an 18-year-old tourist from India who died in June 2026 after being thrown from a runaway carriage — an incident that accelerated political momentum for a ban long championed by animal rights groups. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Council Speaker Julie Menin backed the bill. Approximately 200 people work in the industry and roughly 90 horses are currently stabled on the West Side of Manhattan; the legislation does not yet detail financial assistance for displaced workers. The Transport Workers Union Local 100 vowed to file a legal challenge immediately after signing. Veteran drivers with more than 40 years in the trade said they felt blindsided by the speed of the legislative push. Forty carriage horses have died on the job since 1982.