Iowa Code § 124.502 - Administrative inspections and warrants

1. Issuance and execution of administrative inspection warrants shall be as follows: a. A district judge or district associate judge, within the court’s jurisdiction, and upon proper oath or affirmation showing probable cause, may issue warrants for the purpose of conducting administrative inspections under this chapter or a related rule. The warrant may also permit seizures of property appropriate to the inspections. For purposes of the issuance of administrative inspection warrants, probable cause exists upon showing a valid public interest in the effective enforcement of the statute or related rules, sufficient to justify administrative inspection of the area, premises, building, or conveyance in the circumstances specified in the application for the warrant. b. A warrant shall issue only upon sworn testimony of an officer or employee of the board duly designated and having knowledge of the facts alleged, before the judicial officer, establishing the grounds for issuing the warrant. If the judicial officer is satisfied that grounds for the application exist or that there is probable cause to believe they exist, the officer shall issue a warrant identifying the area, premises, building, or conveyance to be inspected, the purpose of the inspection, and, if appropriate, the type of property to be inspected, if any. c. The warrant shall: (1) State the grounds for its issuance and the name of each person whose testimony has been taken in support thereof. (2) Be directed to a person authorized by section 124.501 to execute it. (3) Command the person to whom it is directed to inspect the area, premises, building, or conveyance identified for the purpose specified and, if appropriate, direct the seizure of the property specified. (4) Identify the item or types of property to be seized, if any. (5) Direct that it be served during normal business hours, if appropriate, and designate the judge to whom it shall be returned. d. A warrant issued pursuant to this section must be executed and returned within ten days after its date unless, upon a showing of a need for additional time, the court so instructs otherwise in the warrant. If property is seized pursuant to a warrant, the person executing the warrant shall give to the person from whom the property is seized, or the person in charge of the premises from which the property is seized, a copy of the warrant and a receipt for the property seized or shall leave the copy and receipt at the place from which the property is seized. The return of the warrant shall be made promptly and shall be accompanied by a written inventory of any property seized. The inventory shall be made in the presence of the person executing the warrant and of the person from whose possession or premises the property was seized, if they are present, or in the presence of at least one credible person other than the person executing the warrant. A copy of the inventory shall be delivered to the person from whom or from whose premises the property was seized and to the applicant for the warrant. e. The judicial officer who has issued a warrant under this section shall require that there be attached to the warrant a copy of the return, and of all papers filed in connection with the return, and shall file them with the clerk of the district court for the county in which the inspection was made. 2. The department may make administrative inspections of controlled premises in accordance with the following provisions: a. For purposes of this section only, “controlled premises” means: (1) Places where persons registered or exempted from registration requirements under this chapter are required to keep records; and (2) Places including factories, warehouse establishments, and conveyances where persons registered or exempted from registration requirements under this chapter are permitted to hold, manufacture, compound, process, sell, deliver, or otherwise dispose of any controlled substance. b. Whenever authorized by an administrative inspection warrant issued pursuant to subsection 1 of this section an officer or employee of the board, upon presenting the warrant and appropriate credentials to the owner, operator, or agent in charge, has the right to enter controlled premises for the purpose of conducting an administrative inspection. c. Whenever authorized by an administrative inspection warrant, an officer or employee of the board has the right: (1) To inspect and copy records required by this chapter to be kept; (2) To inspect, within reasonable limits and in a reasonable manner, controlled premises and all pertinent equipment, finished and unfinished material, containers and labeling found therein, and, except as provided in paragraph “e” of this subsection, all other things therein, including records, files, papers, processes, controls, and facilities bearing on violation of this chapter; and (3) To inventory any stock of any controlled substance therein and obtain samples of any such substance. d. This section shall not be construed to prevent the inspection without a warrant of books and records pursuant to a subpoena issued in accordance with section 622.65, nor shall this section be construed to prevent entries and administrative inspections, including seizures of property, without a warrant: (1) With the consent of the owner, operator, or agent in charge of the controlled premises; (2) In situations presenting imminent danger to health or safety; (3) In situations involving inspection of conveyances where there is reasonable cause to believe that the mobility of the conveyance makes it impracticable to obtain a warrant; (4) In any other exceptional or emergency circumstance where time or opportunity to apply for a warrant is lacking; and (5) In all other situations where a warrant is not constitutionally required. e. Except when the owner, operator, or agent in charge of the controlled premises so consents in writing, no inspection authorized by this section shall extend to financial data; sales data, other than shipment data; or pricing data. [C73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §204.502; 82 Acts, ch 1147, §11] 83 Acts, ch 186, §10051, 10052, 10201 C93, §124.502 99 Acts, ch 96, §10; 2009 Acts, ch 41, §183; 2017 Acts, ch 145, §16