The state has announced that it is lifting capacity limits on businesses and venues on May 19. But how will those new rules roll out?  

Even though most New York businesses will no longer have to limit capacity to a specific percentage or number of people, they will have to continue to space people 6 feet apart and base their capacity on that.

"The key is a smart reopening, reopening is not a light switch, we've said this from the beginning," said Cuomo, "It's not fully close the light switch or fully open the light switch. It's a smart reopening, it's a measured reopening, it's a phased reopening. But we are at a point now where we are going to take a major step forward in reopening."

Cuomo says New York will be joining Connecticut and New Jersey in a coordinated re-opening plan. The entire tri-state area will lift capacity limits on businesses such as restaurants, gyms, stores, salons and barbershops.

Cuomo says the CDC guidelines for keeping a 6-foot distance between people will remain until the agency says otherwise.

Many business owners have said they're already at their capacity limit based on the 6-foot rule.

Indoor catered events will be able to increase capacity to 250 on May 19 as well, and if testing is done that capacity increases to 500. Residential gatherings can have up to 50 people and outdoor residential gatherings will no longer have a limit. That means people can start planning their cookouts and graduation parties.

Outdoor large stadiums will have a capacity limit of 33%. Large indoor venues will be capped at 30%. These capacity changes will come the same week the curfew for outdoor restaurants and bars ends, which is on May 17.

The governor is expected to speak again on Tuesday.