Romanch’s Law could end Central Park carriage rides in 2028
City Council members are set to vote Thursday on a bill that would stop horse-drawn carriage rides in Central Park on June 1, 2028. The drivers' union wants compensation instead.
Horse-drawn carriage rides in Central Park would end on June 1, 2028, under a bill that City Council members are set to vote on this Thursday. People who want the carriages gone have been working toward a ban for decades.
The bill is named Romanch’s Law. Julie Menin, the Council speaker, is likely to put it before members on Thursday. If it passes, the carriages would have until mid-2028 before the ban begins.
The Council’s press office says the bill has 29 City Council co-sponsors, and it would also create a program to help horse owners find humane homes for their horses. NYC Council
Why the Central Park carriage ban would start in 2028
Those backing the bill say the later date is deliberate. It leaves the city time to prepare drivers for other careers and to offer job training to anyone who needs it. The union for carriage drivers takes a different view: it wants the city to pay drivers financial compensation instead.
The Council’s press office says the bill would require the mayoral administration to set up employment programs for carriage drivers and other industry workers. NYC Council
Mayor’s Executive Order 56 (Sept. 2025) already directs city agencies to wind down the horse carriage industry and to create a process for the voluntary return of licenses. NYC Mayor’s Office
For at least one driver, the question is personal. “I’m a horse person,” the driver said, explaining that the carriage work came after many other jobs and finally felt like the right fit. The driver asked what they would do to make a living, and whether caring for their horse would drain their savings.
A tourist’s death in June revived the push
Support for a ban gained speed after an 18-year-old tourist, Romanch Mahajan, died in June. A carriage in Central Park ran out of control, and he was thrown from it. The bill carries his name.
The Transport Workers Union has pushed back on Menin, saying she is using “the tragic death of a tourist” to “contrive a public safety crisis.”
What it means for you
The full Council vote is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. NYC Council
The bill has 29 Council co-sponsors, which is more than half of the 51-member Council. NYC Council
Quick answers
When does the City Council vote on the Central Park horse carriage ban?
Council members are set to vote on the bill this Thursday, with Speaker Julie Menin likely to bring it up.
When would the horse carriage ban take effect?
If the bill passes, the ban would start June 1, 2028.
What happens to carriage drivers under the bill?
Supporters say the city would use the time before the ban to prepare drivers for other jobs and offer job training. The drivers' union wants financial compensation instead.
