The New York City Council has voted to end the Big Apple’s horse-drawn carriage industry, which has been around for more than 160 years.
The legislation passed in a 40-7 vote on Thursday afternoon. Its approval came just over a week after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani made a deal with City Council Speaker Julie Menin to ban horse-drawn carriages in less than two years.
The end result of that agreement was Romanch’s Law, which was named after an 18-year-old tourist, Romanch Mahajan, who died in June after falling from a carriage when the horse ran away. His death, which was the first and only human fatality connected to a horse-carriage accident, sparked action from local lawmakers.
The bill effectively bans all horse-drawn carriages in New York City, including Central Park, by June 1, 2028. It also prohibits the approval of new carriage licenses and ensures a transition plan is in place.
Such a plan would presumably include protections for carriage workers and the removal of carriage horses. The legislation stipulates that no horses will be slaughtered or transferred to another horse-drawn carriage business. Instead, the measure mandates the “humane disposition of carriage horses.”
Mamdani still needs to sign the bill, which is guaranteed to happen given his support for city officials and animal rights advocates pushing the ban.
The mayor said his administration is committed to making sure carriage workers are “protected” and the horses are “safe.”
Advocates were largely concerned about the safety of the horses, with about 40 horses dying on the job since 1982. But the livelihoods of carriage operators, many of whom are immigrants, will be harmed by the bill’s enactment.
The Transport Workers Union is already planning to sue New York City once Mamdani signs the bill into law. More lawsuits may be filed, New York City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino predicted before the vote took place.
“There will be a lawsuit coming up because this is unconstitutional,” the Republican lawmaker told Fox News. “Intro 943 is unconstitutional. Lawsuits are going to be filed immediately after this effort is passed. They’re going to be tangled up in legalese.”
Regardless of legal threats, the City Council’s top leader is taking the bill’s passage as a win.
“Today’s historic vote marks our commitment to animal welfare, public safety, and protecting workers,” Menin posted on X after the final vote. “Thank you to my colleagues, the advocates, and the countless New Yorkers who have worked for years to make this day possible.”
TRUMP DECRIES MAMDANI DEAL TO BAN NEW YORK CITY HORSE CARRIAGES: ‘SO SAD’
Hours before the City Council voted, President Donald Trump complained about the city ending its century-old horse-drawn carriage industry for “political reasons.”
“It was a Great Tradition,” he wrote in part on Truth Social. “Another piece of History that’s gone. It will be missed!”