- The New York City Council voted 40 to 7 to pass Romanch’s Law.
- The ban phases out horse-drawn carriages by 1 June 2028.
- The bill follows the death of tourist Romanch Mahajan in June 2026.
- The city must create a workforce transition plan by April 2027.
- The Transport Workers Union plans to challenge the ban in court.
The New York City Council has voted 40 to 7 to pass Romanch’s Law officially phasing out the city’s horse-drawn carriage industry by 1 June 2028. The bill stops the issuance of new licences for carriage horses and cabs with existing licences expiring at the end of May 2028. Momentum for the ban accelerated after the death of 18-year-old tourist Romanch Mahajan who was killed on 17 June 2026 after being thrown from a bolting carriage in Central Park.
The legislation requires the city to create a workforce transition plan by April 2027 to assist drivers with job training and potential compensation. It also bans selling the horses to slaughterhouses. The bill mandates the humane disposition of the impacted animals to ensure they are safely rehomed.
The Transport Workers Union Local 100 which represents the drivers and owners strongly opposes the ban and has vowed to challenge the measure in court. Permitted exceptions remain for specific closed events such as weddings parades and film productions. The ban ends an industry that has operated in the city since 1858.
