The revised law attempted to overcome problems with an earlier kosher-labeling law, which was thrown out when a judge found it created "excessive" entanglements between synagogue and state.
The revised law, passed by New York's legislature in 2004, requires producers and distributors to manage their own kosher certifications and keeps the state out of the process.
All food claimed to be kosher must be labeled as such by producers and distributors, and basic information about the qualifications of the individual bestowing the kosher certification must be disclosed in a publicly available database.