Schulman questions on weather-related suspensions and heat monitoring
Schulman asks about weather-related suspensions under Local Law 203. Schiff reports 102 suspensions in three years, with 28 in 2025 and 19 in Jan-June 2026, and notes NYPD handles on-site enforcement.
Local law 203 of 2019 prohibits horse carriages from working when the temperature is 90 degrees or above, or when the temperature is 80 degrees and the equine heat index reaches 150 or above.
Since the law took effect, how many written warnings and violations has DOHMH issued for noncompliance?
What I can tell you is the suspensions in the last three years.
There have been 102 weather-related suspensions in the last three years.
I'd like to confer with NYPD on violations.
They are typically at the hack stands at the time of the suspension, and so I would like to check with them to get you a full count.
We have not issued violations for violating the suspension, but it is typically NYPD who is actually on site at the hack stand.
So let me confer with them to be able to provide that.
Okay.
How does DOHMH monitor?
Compliance when temperatures approach the statutory thresholds.
I'm sorry, I missed the beginning of your question.
How does DOHMH monitor compliance when temperatures approach the statutory thresholds?
So we are, when we know that it is a day where we are potentially going to reach one of those thresholds.
Like today.
The horses have been suspended today.
Yes.
Okay.
We are monitoring the weather.
The administrative code sets out very specific protocols for how to measure that temperature, including the type of equipment that the health department and the NYPD are required to use.
So we do have that equipment that the council has required.
And so we take those measurements as we understand the temperature threshold may be approaching,
and that lets us be able to suspend the activity when that threshold is met.
How often are readings taken?
I will have to get back to you about the number of times the readings are taken.
Global temperatures are rising and New York City is increasingly experiencing extreme heat and high humidity.
How many days in 2025 and 2026 were carriage horses prohibited from working because the temperature reached 90 degrees or the equine heat index reached the threshold?
What I have is the total weather-related suspensions.
There is also a cold weather threshold, and we also will suspend for other extreme weather conditions, for example, if the paths are icy.
So I have the total numbers.
In 2025, it was 28, and 2026, from January to June, 19.