WEST SENECA, N.Y. — Rusty Nickel Brewing Company in West Seneca said it regularly partners with colleges to help students get hands-on experience.

"We have the ability to fulfill the internship requirements of the local schools who have recently promoted their brewing programs, so we like to support them," said Rusty Nickel's co-owner, Dave Johnson.

But a bill passed by the state legislature this past session raised the age for anyone in the brewery to handle alcohol in an open container from 18 to 21.

"We actually have interns that come through that will not have the ability to do their internship hours prior to their graduation which would further delay their employment opportunities. That's quite a few people," said Jason Havens, another co-owner at Rusty Nickel. 

The language of the bill would also prohibit servers under 21 in the brewery from handling alcohol, limiting the potential workforce. In Rusty Nickel's case, the owners say it will make it hard to find summer help.

"It just doesn't make any sense. There's really no justification for it. The system wasn't broken before," Johnson said.

These are stipulations of a bill the brewery said was well-intentioned. The key component is a sales tax exemption for customers for five 5oz samples, also known as a flight, but it says there issues even with that.

"I don't even know how a small business like this would even track such a thing. I feel like their heart was in the right place but somehow missed the mark on what they were trying to accomplish," Johnson said.

The Erie County Legislature passed a resolution last month opposing the new regulations.

"It's something that needs to be addressed and I care about so sending a message to the governor not to sign the bill and telling the state legislators to get back to work is really what we're trying to do at the county level," Minority Leader Joe Lorigo said.

The legislation passed unanimously in the state Senate and all but three members in the Assembly voted for it as well. Assembly Member Erik Bohen was one of them, but said he's changed his mind after hearing concerns.

"This needs to be changed because it only puts further restrictions on small business and they do not need that at this time," he said.

The governor could still veto the bill. State Senator Pat Gallivan's office says language could also be clarified via a chapter amendment before it is signed.