Mayor wants to update Chicago horse carriage law

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel wants to update regulations on horse-drawn carriages in the city.

The mayor introduced the Horse Drawn Carriage Ordinance to the Chicago City Council on Wednesday. His office says the city’s current ordinance hasn’t been updated in many years. The new ordinance would update license requirements and increase fees. City officials say some licensing fees haven’t been changed since 1990.

The mayor’s office says the ordinance also will make important updates. For example the current ordinance says carriages must operate according to weather conditions at O’Hare International Airport. The new ordinance would have carriage operators follow weather conditions at Northerly Island, which is closer to downtown Chicago and where the carriages operate.