New York City is set to end the era of horse-drawn carriages after the City Council passed legislation on Thursday to phase out the industry by June 1, 2028. The measure, dubbed Romanch’s Law, passed with a 40-7 vote and two abstentions, effectively prohibiting the issuance of new operating licenses for the cabs. The bill also includes a provision that bans the sale of these horses to slaughterhouses. Under the bill, the horses would be prohibited from being sold to slaughterhouses. According to ilhan Omar, She will move from her Washington, DC, home after federal search.
The legislative move follows the death of 18-year-old Indian tourist Romanch Mahajan, who was killed this past summer when his carriage horse lost control. Man hops onto moving school bus when he sees driver in distress. Bend, Oregon, shooting: Suspect ID’d, had attended elementary school, police say.
During the incident, the carriage struck another vehicle and toppled over with the victim’s family still trapped inside. According to investigators, the carriage clipped the wheel of another carriage and toppled.
This tragedy served as a primary catalyst for the council’s decision, adding to concerns over multiple safety incidents in recent years, including a January crash where a horse ran loose into traffic.
City Council Speaker Julie Menin emphasized that the carriages have become a significant safety hazard in the city’s crowded environment. She noted that these animals should not be forced to navigate areas serving 42 million annual visitors while hauling 1,000-pound carriages during peak summer heat waves. Pulling a 1,000-pound carriage in record heat,” she said, they don’t belong in an area that attracts 42 million people a year.
The Central Park Conservancy, which has long advocated for the removal of the carriages, supported the vote. The organization stated that Mahajan’s death marked the ninth carriage-related incident in just over a year, noting that the city could no longer ignore the risks to public safety. The vote, which is veto-proof, was met with praise by animal rights groups and park advocates who have long called for the ban citing several incidents where horses crashed or caused disturbances. Mahajan’s aunt and uncle were on hand for the vote.
While the legislation provides for a workforce transition program to assist the city’s approximately 150 unionized drivers with career counseling, training, and financial compensation, the Transport Workers Union (TWU) remains in fierce opposition. Members protested outside City Hall on Thursday as the vote concluded.
Alexander Kemp, the administrative vice president for TWU Local 100, announced plans to challenge the decision in court. He described the bill as unconstitutional and claimed it lacks concrete protections for workers and families facing economic instability, promising to seek a temporary restraining order against the city immediately. According to we will see them in court,” Alexander Kemp, the administrative vice president for TWU Local 100, In a statement after the vote. “This bill is blatantly unconstitutional, providing nothing but a plan to draft a plan.
Though previous administrations led by mayors Bill de Blasio and Eric Adams had sought to eliminate the practice, this marks the first time such legislation has secured sufficient support within the City Council to proceed toward a full ban.
