“The horse is literally and metaphorically out of the barn with today’s historic vote. As a lifelong animal welfare advocate – one that has taken on some of the biggest industries in defense of our furry, four-legged friends and even introduced legislation at the state level banning the use of horse carriages in New York City in 2011 – I am elated by the passage of Romanch’s Law, formerly Ryder’s Law. It goes without saying, but this moment of victory has been many decades in the making.

It is the tenacious spirit of countless experts, activists and dedicated elected officials that have slowly inched this David and Goliath fight forward. Together, we made the collective decision to prioritize the welfare of our horses over the almighty dollar, and that is what today is all about: justice for Carlie, Tickler, Billy, Black Jack, Lady, Deniz, Spotty, Juliet, Smoothie, Clancy, Tommy, Aisha, Misty, Daisy, Ryder and last but not least, Romanch Mahajan, the young man visiting from India, whose family boarded a horse carriage full of hope, only to experience immense tragedy moments later.

With this vote, we have forever made clear that we, as a city, will no longer sacrifice the lives of our horses, or endanger the lives of our tourists, in order to turn a profit. This bill also looks after the future of the drivers; they will be able to access workforce development training in order to transition into new jobs by 2028.

I applaud Mayor Mamdani, Speaker Menin and Council Member Marte for shepherding us through the final stage of this fight, as well as the many animal advocates and organizations that stood firm in the face of persistent opposition. We always knew that a more humane city was on the horizon. It has been an honor to have played a role in this fight, and I am forever grateful to all those who made today possible.”