A long-running debate reaches a scheduled vote
The New York City Council is set to vote Thursday on legislation that would phase out horse-drawn carriage operations in Central Park and surrounding streets. The measure, known as Romanch’s Law, would prohibit carriage operations beginning June 1, 2028, giving the city, business owners and workers more than a year to plan for the change if the bill becomes law.
The proposal has the backing of Council Speaker Julie Menin, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and a majority of Council members, according to the Council and Reuters. Previous attempts to close the industry did not advance. This version gained momentum after 18-year-old tourist Romanch Mahajan was thrown from a runaway carriage and killed in June.
What the bill would change
The legislation would stop the issuance of new carriage licenses and end all operations on the effective date. It also requires the mayoral administration to develop a transition strategy by April. That plan must address employment services for drivers and stable workers, possible compensation for business owners and the humane disposition of the horses. The proposal states that the animals could not be sent to slaughter.
New York limits the industry to 68 carriage medallions, which are often passed between family members and can represent a substantial private investment. Reuters reported that rides can generate strong incomes for some drivers and owners. A workable transition will therefore have to address both employees who need new jobs and small operators whose businesses derive much of their value from city licenses.
Safety, animal welfare and tradition
Supporters of the ban argue that modern Central Park traffic creates risks for passengers, workers, horses, cyclists and pedestrians. Animal-welfare groups also say that pulling carriages through busy streets is unsafe and inhumane. The June death gave those arguments a new urgency and brought the industry back before lawmakers after decades of debate.
Opponents, including the Transport Workers Union and carriage operators, say the city is eliminating a regulated livelihood and a recognizable part of New York tourism. They argue that most operators follow existing rules and care for their horses. Visitors and park users remain divided between those who see the rides as a tradition and those who believe electric or human-powered alternatives can provide the same experience without animals.
Questions after the vote
A Council vote would not finish the work. If the measure passes, attention will shift to implementation, including the legal and financial terms of compensation, placement of workers, retirement or transfer of horses and future use of stable property. The city will also need clear oversight so that protections promised in the transition plan can be measured rather than treated as general intentions.
Because the ban would not take effect immediately, businesses could continue operating during the transition. That period may reduce abrupt disruption, but it could also produce uncertainty over maintenance, insurance, staffing and the resale value of medallions. Detailed guidance will matter to workers deciding whether to stay through 2028 or leave earlier.
Thursday’s vote is therefore both a decision about a historic industry and the start of a complex wind-down. The outcome will be judged not only by whether carriages disappear from Central Park, but also by whether the city protects public safety, animal welfare and the livelihoods of people whose work is being ended by law.
Sources: New York City Council announcement · City Council bill record · Reuters report. Reporting reviewed October 21, 2026.