Iowa Jail Standards, 201 IAC 50.14(1)(a)(2): The Jail Shall Be Maintained in a Pest-Free Condition

Citation

Iowa Administrative Code, agency 201 (Department of Corrections), Chapter 50 (Jail Facilities), rule 50.14, subrule 50.14(1), paragraph “a”(2). Read from the Iowa Legislature’s official chapter PDF (IAC 2/5/25) on September 26, 2026. Rule history: ARC 9578B, effective August 3, 2011.

What It Says (Verbatim)

Rule 50.14(1)“a” (lead-in):

“a. The jail shall be kept clean and sanitary.”

Rule 50.14(1)“a”(2):

“(2) The jail shall be maintained in a pest-free condition. Persons spraying chemicals shall be certified by the Iowa department of agriculture and land stewardship. Prisoners and staff shall not be directly exposed to the chemicals being used.”

Rule 50.3, annual inspection:

“The chief jail inspector or authorized representatives shall visit and inspect each jail within this state at least annually to determine the degree of compliance with these standards and within 45 days of each inspection shall report the results to the sheriff and the governing body responsible for the facility.”

Operation:

“No jail shall be operated without substantially meeting these rules, absent the granting of a waiver.”

What It Means in Plain Language

1. Pest-free is the standard. An outcome, not a program: the jail is maintained without pests.
2. Certified applicators. Anyone spraying chemicals is certified by the Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
3. No direct exposure of prisoners or staff to the chemicals being used.
4. Pending rewrite. Under the Governor’s Red Tape Review, the Department proposed rescinding and readopting Chapter 50; the proposed chapter keeps this paragraph word for word. Re-verify after adoption.

Who It Applies To

All facilities regulated by Iowa Code chapters 356 and 356A, except temporary holding facilities under Chapter 51. The chief jail inspector inspects each jail at least annually, possibly unannounced. Under Iowa Code § 356.36, the remedy for a rule violation is a Department compliance proceeding.

Rule 50.2(1), applicability:

“These rules apply to all facilities regulated by Iowa Code chapters 356 and 356A except temporary holding facilities which are covered by 201—Chapter 51.”

Documentation Evidence

• Pest control service records showing the jail is kept pest-free
• Certification of each person who sprays chemicals
• Records showing prisoners and staff were not directly exposed during treatment
• The chief jail inspector’s annual report

Confidence Notes

HIGH confidence. Read from the official chapter PDF and the single-rule PDF; the paragraph also appears word for word in the Department’s proposed replacement chapter (Regulatory Analysis RA 26-189), whose adoption was not confirmed.