City Council Speaker Julie Menin and Mayor Zohran Mamdani have reached an agreement on legislation that would end the use of horse-drawn carriages in Central Park by June 2028, the New York Times reported. According to Menin, the bill is likely to pass with a veto-proof majority in a council vote scheduled for October 22.
The issue came to the forefront when a visiting teen died after being thrown from a carriage in June. Menin said the death was a breaking point: "When Romanch was killed, it was, to me, a breaking point where we have to do something."
Animal rights groups like New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets have opposed the carriages for years. The group celebrated the bill as a "long-overdue ban on cruel and dangerous horse-drawn carriages."
Union president John Samuelson said the current bill "has no meaningful economic relief for workers."
Both Menin and Mamdani said they're considering plans to compensate drivers for loss of their employment. Mamdani said on X: "The horse carriage industry is coming to an end in New York City. Our administration will make sure workers and owners are protected and the horses are safe."