The state Senate today suspended several of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's COVID-19 related executive orders including the law requiring people to buy food with alcohol on Wednesday.

All this comes as Cuomo just announced curfews will end in May for all indoor and outdoor dining areas statewide.

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It was last July when Gov. Cuomo issued an executive order stating that any person buying an alcoholic drink at their favorite bar or restaurant had to also buy food, like a plate of fries or wings, to go with it with.

The order was aimed at keeping people in their seats and not mingling with strangers, where the virus is more likely to spread.

Nearly one-third of New Yorkers are now fully vaccinated, and the focus is on helping small businesses.

For months, bar and restaurant owners have called the law into question, saying it's arbitrary, inconvenient and drives business away.

Yonkers Brewing Company owner and City Councilman John Rubbo agrees. "It's great because sometimes you have folks who want to come in, they want to sit down to enjoy a drink. They may order something but we're not limiting the number of customers that we can bring in because they're forced to order a meal," says Rubbo.

Lawmakers say as the COVID-19 cases continue to drop statewide and more people are vaccinated, it's time to begin removing certain restrictions and regulations that are no longer necessary. Officials from Gov. Cuomo's office claim he was already planning to repeal these executive orders this week.

Patrons at Yonkers Brewing Company, like Jim Lillis, say it's a positive step forward in the state's economic recovery. "We've all been staying safe but you know, as we get closer to normal, it's all better for all of us," says Lillis.