After a bitter 16-year political fight, the New York City Council outlawed horse-drawn carriages in an Oct. 22, 2026, vote. However, the union drivers say they will not go down without a fight.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Council Speaker Julie Menin reached a deal on Oct. 13 to abolish the tourist trade. The bill, known as Ramanch’s Law, passed 40-7 with two abstentions. The ban goes into effect June 1, 2028.

The bill was renamed to honor Romanch Mahajan, an 18-year-old tourist from India who died June 17 after jumping from a carriage drawn by a runaway horse. Initial reports suggested the horse was spooked. Con Edison, an energy company that provides electricity in New York City, states it “observed very low levels of stray voltage on July 16 and July 23, but determined that neither instance originated from Con Edison equipment.”

Mahajan’s death appears to be the turning point of the political fight to abolish the industry.

“Our landmark vote to pass Romanch’s Law is a demonstration of this Council’s commitment to animal welfare, public safety and worker protection,” according to a statement…