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NYC Council passes Romanch’s Law to ban horse carriages

Updated 7 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-10-23 04:26 UTC → 2026-10-23 10:21 UTC · added removed

The New York City Council has officially passed legislation, known as ‘Romanch’s Law’, to phase out horse-drawn carriages in Central Park and across all five boroughs. The law aims to end the 150-year-old tradition by June 1, 2028. The decision follows intense pressure from animal welfare advocates regarding inhumane working conditions and physical exhaustion, as well as public outcry following the death of 18-year-old Indian tourist Romanch Mahajan. The Mahajan family had previously filed a $50 million notice of claim against the city. In a recent vote, the Council approved the measure with 40 votes in favor, seven against, and two abstentions. While the full ban will not take effect until 2028, the city will immediately cease issuing new carriage licenses. The legislation includes a transition plan intended to provide approximately 150 drivers and workers with job retraining, counseling, and potential economic compensation for their licenses. The city is mandated to develop a specific workforce transition plan by April 2027. While Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Council Speaker Julie Menin support the measure, the move has met fierce opposition from the Transport Workers Union (TWA), (TWA/TWU), which represents approximately 200 drivers and owners. The union has filed for a temporary restraining order, characterizing the ban as a ‘train wreck of constitutional and due process violations’ and has announced intentions to challenge the ban in federal court. Former President Donald Trump also criticized the ban on social media, describing the carriages as a ‘great tradition’ and a ‘piece of history’ that will be missed. To protect the animals, provisions ensure that the city’s approximately 160 carriage horses will not be sent to slaughterhouses, with advocates coordinating with equine sanctuaries to prepare for their eventual retirement.

Versions

  1. 2026-10-23 10:21 UTC NYC Council passes Romanch’s Law to ban horse carriages
  2. 2026-10-23 04:26 UTC NYC Council passes Romanch’s Law to ban horse carriages
  3. 2026-10-23 01:24 UTC NYC Council passes Romanch’s Law to ban horse carriages
  4. 2026-10-22 22:05 UTC NYC Council passes Romanch’s Law to ban horse carriages
  5. 2026-10-22 13:36 UTC New York City Central Park horse carriage phase-out
  6. 2026-10-22 04:37 UTC New York City Central Park horse carriage phase-out
  7. 2026-10-21 10:35 UTC New York City Central Park horse carriage phase-out
  8. 2026-10-16 04:26 UTC New York City Central Park horse carriage phase-out

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