Kansas Senate president celebrates veto override by ringing bell outside House, angering Democrats

Senate President Ty Masterson, seen here during a March 26, 2026, session of the Senate, offered "no apologies" for ringing a bell outside the House to celebrate a veto override. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

TOPEKA — Senate President Ty Masterson ignited fury among House Democrats when he rang a ceremonial bell Friday outside the House chamber to celebrate a veto override.

Masterson, who is seeking the GOP nomination for governor, offered “no apologies.”

Video obtained by Kansas Reflector shows Masterson lurked by the House door as Republicans led an 87-37 override of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of Senate Bill 368, which offers a tax break for using health care sharing ministries. As Rep. Blake Carpenter, R-Derby, announced the vote, Masterson walked over to the ceremonial bell, flipped it to make it ring, and headed back toward his chamber.

Inside the House, Democrats demanded to know who had made the noise.

“We have heard this before,” said Rep. Stephanie Sawyer Clayton, D-Overland Park. “I get it. I know that you guys love how difficult it is to override a veto, but ringing a bell, whether it is in the chamber or outside the chamber, is in violation of rules and decorum, especially because we can’t even look like we might be impugning your motives or hurting your feelings.”

She was referring to the way House Republicans frequently admonish Democrats for making pointed comments during heated debates.

“This is a problem. Where was it?” Sawyer Clayton said, pausing for several seconds. “Seriously, you guys. Knock it off.”

It was at least the second time this year that the ringing of the bell interrupted House action. Although it wasn’t clear whether Masterson was involved in the earlier instance. Masterson’s spokesman responded to Kansas Reflector questions by pointing to a social media post.

“We won for families. We won for lower healthcare costs,” Masterson wrote on X. “We will ring that bell every time we put more money back in Kansans’ pockets. No apologies.”

Democrats complained in February when someone rang the bell after the House overrode Kelly’s veto of an anti-trans law. Sawyer Clayton told Kansas Reflector that someone also rang the bell after veto overrides last year.

On Friday, Rep. John Carmichael, D-Wichita, demanded to make a point of order on the House floor.

“There have been repeated violations of this same nature, violations of decorum, and I ask that the speaker posts the sergeant at arms outside the door to keep watch, and if, in the event, the offenders can be identified, I ask that they be called to account,” Carmichael said. “I want this stopped.”

Carpenter, who was presiding over the House floor proceedings at the time, said there was nothing in the House rules that “addresses the issue of the bell outside the House chamber.”

“So at this point in time,” Carpenter said, “we are going to move on with business.”

Carmichael wasn’t satisfied.

“Based upon your previous ruling, am I correct that there is no prohibition against members or others ringing the bell?” Carmichael said. “Because if there’s not, I intend to stand out there and ring the bell with great frequency, but I do not want to be in violation of the rules.”

Carpenter told him: “There is no rule.”

Later, Carpenter announced that “even though I think he thoroughly enjoyed ringing it earlier,” Carmichael had pointed out where the rules prohibit disturbances.

Carpenter noted that they were in the final hours of the session and recommended they consider adopting a rule to specifically address the bell ringing next year.

“Hey, if it’s a Republican governor next year and we override him, I think you guys might find that pretty fun,” Carpenter said. “But that being said, we’re going to cease ringing the bell, and we will make every effort to have that stop for the rest of the session.”

The Democratic governor announced another veto several hours later.

“I look forward to ringing in another override soon,” Masterson said.

In the waning hours of the session Friday night, which was disrupted by heckling from within the chamber, the House debated legislation that would honor the slain political activist Charlie Kirk by bolstering free speech protections on college campuses.

Rep. Kirk Haskins, D-Topeka, said the tragic killing of Kirk “should serve as a turning point to recommit ourselves to the timeless principle, American principle, of liberty governed by truth and the virtues of peaceful dialog.”

But, Haskins pointed out, the bill had been championed by Masterson, “the one that went out into the hall and rang the bell to gloat.”

“Seems like this is pandering to a base,” Haskins said.

Carpenter renewed his plea for the House to maintain order and decorum.

“I know it’s getting late. This the last day of the regular session,” Carpenter said. “I, before I came in here, asked the sergeant at arms to not let anybody ring that bell. The problem has been fixed since it was addressed earlier in the session today.

“As for the heckling that is going on, I do not want to hear it from either side. That is unacceptable. Members have a right to come down to this well and make their thoughts on the legislation known. We need to maintain decorum.”

This story has been updated.