Just as massage practice includes unique public safety issues, so does reflexology practice. In addition, it is possible that the state can be found to be liable if something goes wrong during services provided by an untrained individual who had been certified as competent by state licensing. Massage laws regulate the profession of reflexology with no educational requirements. The outcome to non-competitive licensing is higher cost to the consumer with no guarantee of quality or safety in the delivery of services. They give domaine of the entire bodywork field to those who are licensed for massage and not necessarily those educated or experienced to professional standards of specific bodywork fields.
Reflexology is a distinct native healing tradition.
The state-mandated control of the belief system is counter to court cases relating to first amendment rights. Reflexology is a non-nude service. In areas where such laws have been in effect over time, the cost of services has increased and the quality of services has decreased as experienced practitioners are forced out of business. The laws create state-mandated monopolies over reflexology practice to practitioners who are not required to have any qualifications to practice. The supply of qualified practitioners has been nearly eliminated in New York City by the state law.