City Council sets Oct. 22 vote to ban Central Park horse carriages

The New York City Council is set to vote next week on a ban on Central Park's horse-drawn carriages, Council Speaker Julie Menin announced Tuesday.

Menin said the full chamber will take up the legislation on Oct. 22. For years, animal-rights advocates have pressed to end the park's carriage trade. Their push gained force in June after a carriage horse collapsed and died; weeks later, 18-year-old tourist Romanch Mahajan died after falling from a runaway carriage in the park, Gothamist reported.

Romanch's Law

After Mahajan's death, council members renamed a ban bill for him and held a day-long Health Committee hearing in July. Chelsea News reported that Intro. 943 — Romanch's Law, introduced by Manhattan Council Member Christopher Marte — would halt new carriage medallions and prohibit carriage operations starting June 1, 2028, while calling for a workforce-development plan for drivers.

"The tragic and preventable death of 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan made clear that the status quo is no longer acceptable," Menin said in a statement quoted by Gothamist.

Gothamist reported the legislation already has the support of more than half of the Council's 51 members. Mayor Zohran Mamdani has said he supports banning the industry. In July, Menin became the first sitting Council speaker to publicly back ending horse-drawn carriages in Central Park, according to a Council press release.

Workers and the TWU

The industry has been fiercely defended by the Transport Workers Union, which represents carriage drivers, Gothamist noted. Menin said the bill would require the administration to develop a plan to connect workers to new economic opportunities, including in hospitality and tourism.

"We can honor our city's traditions while recognizing when it's time to move forward in the interest of public safety, protecting workers, and strengthening our city's economic vitality," Menin said.

A vote next week would not automatically end the rides. If the Council passes the bill and the mayor signs it, operators would still have until mid-2028 under the phase-out timeline described at the July hearing.