The New York City Council voted 40 to 7 on Thursday, October 22, 2026, to ban Central Park’s horse-drawn carriages under the newly designated Romanch Law, setting a complete industry shutdown date for June 1, 2028. The legislation halts the issuance of new operating licenses immediately, concluding over 150 years of Manhattan carriage history following a fatal summer accident.
Tourist Death Spurs Momentum for Safety Advocates
For more than a century and a half, horse-drawn carriages have rolled through Central Park and surrounding Manhattan corridors. But public sentiment and political pressure shifted decisively following a devastating incident on June 17, 2026. An 18-year-old tourist, Romanch Mahajan, died after falling from a carriage when the horse spooked and bolted through the park while the driver stepped away to take a photograph. The victim’s family subsequently filed a $50 million lawsuit against the municipal government, lending heavy momentum to safety advocates who argued that congested, high-traffic Manhattan streets pose an unacceptable hazard to both animals and the public.
BREAKING: The City Council just passed legislation to phase out horse-drawn carriages in Central Park, with a plan to protect workers. 🐴 pic.twitter.com/6NWORWQD4V
The legislative package, championed by Council Member Christopher Marte and led by Council President Julie Menin alongside Zohran Mamdani, was formally named the Romanch Law to honor the young tourist. An earlier version of the bill had been dubbed the Ryder Law, named after a carriage horse that collapsed from exhaustion in Hell’s Kitchen and died months later. Despite a last-minute amendment attempting to delay the vote, the 51-member municipal body pushed the bill through with a veto-proof majority.
Economic Strains and Labor Resistance
The abolition of the trade has triggered intense pushback from the workers and medallion owners whose livelihoods depend on the historic industry. At mid-century, the city capped the authorization permits, known as medallions, at 68. Because these permits do not trade on an open market, families have historically passed them down across generations, with individual medallions commanding hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The Transport Workers Union Local 100 warned ahead of the vote that it would take legal action against the city, arguing that the legislation fails to provide adequate economic protection for operators who invested heavily in their licenses. Christina Hansen, a carriage owner and union delegate, voiced the frustration of many operators to Reuters prior to the session, asserting that the horses are as much a fixture of New York as the Empire State Building, and questioning how workers will pay rent during the transition.
Political figures outside the local administration also weighed in. Donald Trump criticized the move on social media prior to the vote, calling the Central Park carriage ride an essential New York experience and expressing sadness over its politically driven disappearance.
The Timeline to 2028 and Transition Mandates
While the immediate suspension of new licenses takes effect right away, the legislation provides a multi-year runway before the industry shuts down entirely on June 1, 2028. The framework requires the city administration to formulate a formal labor transition plan by April 2027. This blueprint must incorporate career counseling, job placement referrals across transportation, tourism, and taxi sectors, and potential financial compensations for medallion owners.
At the same time, the law addresses the future of the animals themselves, mandating that all remaining horses be transferred to sanctuaries rather than sent to slaughterhouses. However, fiscal critics like City Councilman Jim Gennaro have pointed out the immense ongoing costs of such a guarantee, estimating that lifetime retirement care for the animals could run up to $25,000 annually per horse.
| Milestone / Requirement | Date or Deadline | Key Details |
|---|---|---|
| Tragic Catalyst | June 17, 2026 | Death of 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan after a carriage horse bolts in Central Park. |
| City Council Vote | October 22, 2026 | Passed 40-7, enacting the Romanch Law and halting new license issuance immediately. |
| Labor Transition Plan | April 2027 | Mandatory deadline for the Mayor’s office to deliver career counseling and compensation options. |
| Full Industry Cessation | June 1, 2028 | Final deadline for all horse-drawn carriage operations to completely halt in New York City. |
