Capacity limits put in place last year to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic will be eased in the state Senate and Assembly chambers, top lawmakers on Wednesday announced. 

The move comes as New York reducing pandemic-induced restrictions as more people are vaccinated and COVID-19 cases fall. But lawmakers and staff will still be asked to wear masks inside the chambers out of caution, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said in separate statements. 

"In order to ensure everyone’s safety, members, employees and visitors will continue to be required to wear face masks in all Assembly workplaces, including the Assembly Chamber during the legislative session, and to observe social distancing guidelines whenever possible," Heastie said, whose chamber will eliminate the capacity limits put in place. 

"The Assembly will continue to operate under existing rules, and remote sessions will still be available to all members," Heastie said. "We have made great progress in combating this pandemic, and we will continue to evaluate our policies as we move forward with the goal of fully reopening when safe and appropriate."

New York is backing federal health officials' guidance that masks no longer need to be worn indoors by fully vaccinated people with some exceptions, such as while taking mass transit or being inside a hospital. 

In the state Senate, which has a smaller chamber than the Assembly, masks will also still be worn.

"We will increase capacity limits in the Senate chamber, but we will ask all members and staff to continue to wear masks in and around the chamber," Stewart-Cousins said. "We will continue to review guidelines in the coming days and weeks."

The state Capitol building itself remains closed to the public. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced 42% of all New Yorkers have now been fully vaccinated as of Wednesday.