Horse-drawn carriage ban approved by NYC Council

The New York City Council passed a bill banning horse-drawn carriage rides in the city by 2028.

Lawmakers voted Thursday afternoon on Romanch's Law. The legislation is named after Romanch Mahajan, 18, who died during a carriage accident in June in Central Park.

The bill is now headed to Mayor Zohran Mamdani to sign. 

"With a majority of the Council behind us, we have a historic opportunity to protect New Yorkers, visitors, workers, and animals, and we intend to finish the job," council member Christopher Marte said prior to the vote.

The law is making history, as the carriages have been part of the park since its inception more than 160 years ago. It's ending operations in June 2028, with a transition plan for workers and owners required in 2027. The bill also calls for the humane placement of animals. 

Carriage owners and their families are arguing, however, that the plan doesn't go far enough. They rallied outside City Hall Wednesday and Thursday to push back. One family said they have spent nearly a century building their business. 

"I invested $400,000 two years ago to expand my father's dream, and you're coming here to steal it," owner Francesco Riccobono said.

"We are asking for fairness. We are asking for compassion. We are asking for a seat at the table," said his wife, Natalie.

The Transport Workers Union said it is prepared to challenge the ban in federal court. TWU lawyer Ben Kallos said he believes a judge will overturn the legislation.

"They were supposed to figure out what the economic impact was. It's required by the city charter, and if you pull the economic impact analysis, it's blank," he said.

City Council Speaker Julie Menin said in an interview with NY1 that the ban is necessary to protect animals and public safety. 

"Forty-two million people use Central Park each and every year, and the horse carriages are operating in a very crowded area. We've had numerous accidents that have happened where horses have been spooked; they've broken free," she said. 

Menin said it has been a long-time issue.

"The first city council bill to ban the horse carriage industry happened 19 years ago. So certainly from an animal welfare perspective, this is very important to do," she said. 

Supporters of the bill praised the vote and thanked city leaders for advancing the measure.

Betsy Smith, CEO of the Central Park Conservancy, said in a statement that the carriage rides pose a "serious and even fatal safety risk to Park visitors, carriage drivers, and the horses themselves. Our hearts break for the family of Romanch Mahajan, who stepped into a carriage earlier this summer and never thought he might lose his life."

Kathleen Schatzmann, strategic legislative affairs manager at the Animal Legal Defense Fund, called the vote "the start of a more humane and safe approach to New York tourism" and said the law would responsibly phase out the horse-drawn carriage industry while providing support for workers and protections for horses.