NYC Council votes to ban horse-drawn carriages in Central Park by 2028

The New York City Council voted Thursday to ban horse-drawn carriages by June 2028, moving to end a nearly 170-year tradition after the death of a teenager in Central Park and prompting threats of legal action from carriage drivers. The council voted 40-7, with two abstentions, to approve Romanch's Law, named after 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan, who died in June after being thrown from a runaway carriage in Central Park. The legislation would phase out the industry by June 1, 2028, while requiring Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration to develop a transition program for more than 150 active carriage drivers and other workers. The plan would include job training, career counseling and employment referrals, although financial compensation is not guaranteed.