Requires that businesses offering physical manipulation services ensure that certain windows, entrances, and public-facing areas are unobscured and that there is clear visibility from the public right-of-way into certain public spaces on the premises of such businesses; defines physical manipulation services to include massage therapy, reflexology, services provided on feet at foot spas, bodywork, acupressure, and any other service that involves physically manipulating any part of a human body; exempts services provided by certain persons from being included in such definition.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9388
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
December 19, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. HOOKS -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Economic Development
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to requiring
certain public areas of businesses offering physical manipulation
services to be clearly visible from the outside
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new section
2 391-y to read as follows:
3 § 391-y. Businesses offering physical manipulation services. 1. A
4 business offering physical manipulation services shall keep any street-
5 facing windows, entrances, and public-facing areas of the premises of
6 such business unobscured and shall ensure that there is clear visibility
7 from the public right-of-way into the lobby, reception, waiting area, or
8 other public-facing area of such premises.
9 2. a. For the purposes of this section, the term "physical manipu-
10 lation services" shall include massage therapy, reflexology, services
11 provided on feet at foot spas, bodywork, acupressure, or any other
12 service that involves physically manipulating any part of a human body,
13 whether or not such services require state licensure.
14 b. The term "physical manipulation services" shall not include
15 services provided:
16 (i) by any person who is authorized to practice medicine, nursing,
17 osteopathy, physiotherapy, chiropractic, or podiatry in accordance with
18 the provisions of title eight of the education law;
19 (ii) in barber shops or beauty parlors for the purpose of beautifica-
20 tion by any licensed barber or beauty culturist;
21 (iii) by any person employed in a medical institution licensed or
22 chartered by the state of New York, provided that such person is under
23 the on-site supervision of a person licensed to practice massage therapy
24 or authorized to practice massage therapy by subdivision one of section
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14241-01-5
A. 9388 2
1 seventy-eight hundred five of the education law, or by any person
2 enrolled in a program of a school or institute of massage therapy regis-
3 tered by the department of education, or enrolled in a program which
4 satisfies the requirements of section seventy-eight hundred four of the
5 education law, provided that such person is under the on-site super-
6 vision of a person licensed to practice massage therapy or authorized to
7 practice massage therapy by subdivision one of section seventy-eight
8 hundred five of the education law;
9 (iv) by any person duly employed as a trainer by a professional
10 athletic association, club or team, or as a member of the physical
11 education department of an accredited university, college or high
12 school; or
13 (v) by any person employed by a corporation or association organized
14 exclusively for the moral or mental improvement of people.
15 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
