NEW YORK — October 14, 2026. New York City’s debate over horse-drawn carriage rides has reached a new legislative stage. City Council Speaker Julie Menin and Mayor Zohran Mamdani have agreed to advance a proposal ending the carriage business, with a Council vote scheduled for October 22, according to reports from NY1 and NBC New York. The ban has not been enacted; Council action and subsequent implementation would still be required.

What the proposed law would do

The official City Council legislative record for Introduction 0943-2026 proposes prohibiting the operation of horse-drawn cabs beginning June 1, 2028. It would stop new licensing and set requirements for humane disposition of carriage horses, prohibiting transfers for slaughter or to another carriage enterprise. It also directs the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection to administer workforce development assistance for workers leaving the industry.

The measure was introduced in June and heard by the Council’s Health Committee in July. Its online legislative record still showed it laid over in committee when reviewed October 14, rather than passed or signed. Officials’ announced October 22 vote is therefore the next procedural milestone, not a completed ban.

Public safety versus workers’ livelihoods

Supporters cite risks to pedestrians, passengers and horses on crowded streets. The proposal is being called “Romanch’s Law” in memory of Romanch Mahajan, an 18-year-old visitor who died following a Central Park carriage incident in June. The circumstances of that death should not be used to infer a general cause of every carriage accident.

The Transport Workers Union, which represents carriage drivers, has criticized the transition provisions as insufficient. Union president John Samuelsen told NY1 the proposal does not offer meaningful economic relief, and said training, job fairs and counseling do not resolve workers’ financial losses. The city says the plan is intended to connect affected workers with new employment opportunities.

What happens next

Key questions include whether a majority votes for the bill on October 22, whether amendments strengthen compensation or retraining, and how horses would be retired or transferred. The official legislation page is the authoritative source for amendments, recorded votes and enactment status; a scheduled vote does not guarantee passage.

Sources: New York City Council bill and history; NY1 reporting and attributed city/union statements; NBC New York, proposal details and vote date.