Kansas House committee advances resolution condemning planned 'black mass' on Capitol grounds

A Kansas House committee on March 20 advanced a nonbinding resolution condemning a planned “black mass” on the State Capitol grounds after a contentious hour of testimony and debate.

House Resolution 6016 — described by a legislative revisor as a statement of attitude with no force of law — “denounces a planned satanic worship ritual” scheduled to occur on Capitol grounds, according to testimony read into the record. The committee voted 17–5 to waive notice and take up the resolution the same day, then voted to pass it out of committee by voice.

The measure drew testimony from Catholic advocates who described the event as an attack on Catholic worship and said organizers had indicated they would use a consecrated host. Lucretia Nold, policy specialist for the Kansas Catholic Conference, told the committee the conference and the state bishops are pursuing “every single form of legal action” available and said proponents are treating reports that a consecrated host would be used as a working assumption. “Weare going to act as though that they have truly stolen from us the blessed sacrament,” Nold said.

Supporters framed the resolution as a statement against anti-Catholic bigotry and a call for unity. Chair Moser said he “stand[s] in total support of God, Catholics, and all Christians against this sacrilegious and blasphemous event” and urged committee members to back the resolution.

Opponents and several undecided members raised constitutional concerns and cautioned about the effect of reacting. Representative Osman objected to the short notice and argued the body did not have a full picture of what would occur: “We do not know what we are objecting to because it hasn't happened yet,” Osman said. Representative Clayton and others warned that passing a statement might give the organizers the publicity they seek.

Representative Sanders read a post he said the organizers had posted on social media promoting the event: “God will fall and Kansas will be embraced by the black flame of Lucifer, hail Satan,” and said the advertisement showed the organizers' intent.

Committee members also pressed staff on legal effects. The legislative revisor, identified in testimony as Mike, told the panel that a resolution “has no effect as a law” and will not be codified in the statutes; it is “simply a statement of a particular attitude or belief.”

The committee debate also included procedural objections. Representative Osman objected to working the resolution without broader notice; the chair then called a vote to waive rule notice requirements, which passed by hand vote 17–5 (the committee chair said two-thirds of 22 members, or 15 yeses, were required and were exceeded). After working the resolution, members debated its merits and then approved it out of committee by voice. At least two members asked to have their positions recorded: Representative Sanders asked to have his vote recorded as an “aye,” and Representative Miller asked to have his “no” vote recorded.

The resolution and the committee record do not create or change legal restrictions on expression at the Capitol. Supporters characterized the vote as a formal denunciation and an appeal for “unity, mutual respect, and values that uphold our identity as one nation under God,” while opponents said government bodies should not give preferential protection to one religion over others and cautioned about First Amendment limits.

The committee chair closed the hearing after the vote and said the panel would move the resolution forward to the next legislative step.