Key Facts

• The ban on horse-drawn carriages will start in June 2028.
• The law is named Romanch’s law after a teenager who died in a Central Park carriage accident in June 2023.
• The mayor and city council support the ban for public safety and animal welfare reasons.
• The new law includes help for carriage drivers, such as job training, counseling, and financial support.
• The horses cannot be sold for slaughter or similar uses under the new law.
• The horse carriage industry has been a long-standing New York tourist attraction but has faced criticism for years.
• Some workers, including a union representing 300 drivers and owners, oppose the ban, claiming the horses are well cared for and that many people depend on the jobs.
• In addition to the fatal accident, a carriage horse died this year after eating a poisonous plant in Central Park.