New York City leaders agree to ban horse-drawn carriages by 2028

Horse-drawn carriages have been a Central Park tourist attraction for more than 150 years, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Efforts to end the industry have stretched across decades, with political resistance repeatedly complicating the push, Politico reported.

The latest effort follows animal welfare concerns and a fatal accident involving a teenager in a runaway carriage, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. The Hindu reported that the proposed law is named after an Indian tourist, identified by the Times of India as Romanch Mahajan.

On October 13, Politico reported that Mayor Zohran Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin had reached an agreement to abolish the horse carriage industry. The deal marked a breakthrough in the longstanding campaign.

Menin announced the planned ban that Tuesday, ABCNews.com reported. Coverage published by the Times of India on October 14 specified June 1, 2028, as the proposed start date.

Further reporting on October 14 set out protections for the animals. According to The Independent, the legislation would prohibit owners from selling horses to slaughterhouses and require humane treatment.

The same day, the New York Post reported that carriage drivers felt betrayed and feared homelessness as the city moved toward shutting down their industry.

The agreement is a political deal, not a completed ban. In its October 15 account, Fast Company described the legislation as proposed and its effects as dependent on enactment. The City Council is expected to vote next week.

The proposal, known as Romanch's Law, includes a workforce transition plan for affected carriage drivers and owners. That provision sits alongside the proposed restrictions on how owners may dispose of their horses.

The next concrete step is the council vote. Approval would move the city toward the June 2028 deadline, rather than ending carriage rides immediately.

The workforce transition plan will also matter to the people whose livelihoods depend on the industry. The drivers' fears reported by the New York Post leave an immediate question: how the plan will support them before carriage operations end.