The National Assembly yesterday passed a controversial motion which places members of groups including Rotary International and the Cardiff & County Club in the same category as Freemasons.Assembly Members must declare their membership in such private clubs and societies or face investigation by the Standards Committee.The legislation was introduced to prevent the Assembly being prosecuted on human rights grounds for discriminating against Freemasons.During yesterday's debate Conservative AM William Graham asked for assurances that members of churches with specific membership requirements would not be forced to reveal their religious affiliation.Kirsty Williams, who chairs the Standards Committee, said, "I can't give you the assurances you are looking for... The rules are the rules."She said she expected that the vast majority of religious groups would not fall into that category.Dan Boucher, the Assembly Liaison Officer for the Evangelical Alliance Cymru, later said, "If it transpires that those AMs who are members of religious organisations will be forced to declare this fact or face legal action then this seems intrusive and wholly at variance with the values of a liberal society."Ms Williams had earlier argued for the change in the rules on the grounds that the reform would improve general transparency.She said, "To put this in context for colleagues, the point has been made that while Freemasonry is required to be registered, there is no requirement for a member to register their membership of the Ku Klux Klan."Labour AM Huw Lewis opposed the change in the rules and wanted Freemasonry to continue to be singled out, regardless of the risk of legal action. He said, "This chamber is the voice of the people of Wales and not the voice of the lawyers of Wales."He said he was concerned about Masonic influences on public life because "there are actual oaths of secrecy and that creates unease. The reality behind it may not be sinister but the perception matters."James Bevan, Provincial Secretary of the South Wales Eastern Division of Freemasons, said he was shocked by the attitude of AMs. He said, "What bothers me is the uninhibited bigotry... A lot of the younger people seem to be directed rather than think for themselves."While he welcomed the broadening of the rules he regretted that it was the threat of a lawsuit which had spurred the Assembly to action.He said, "They are not responding to any sense of fair play. They are trying to excuse their decision because they say we were about to beat them over their head with a big stick."AMs voted in favour of the changes by 37 votes to seven, with two abstentions, thereby gaining the necessary two-thirds majority.

Another similar report on the same issue:

Freemasons Assembly backs downBy Tom Bodden,THE Welsh Assembly backed down yesterday over rules which forced AMs to declare membership of the Freemasons but not of other select groups.Now AMs will have to publicly register if they belong to any "closed membership" group after a warning of legal action under human rights laws.Leaders of more than 18,000 Freemasons in Wales protested at the "stigma of having their integrity targeted by a highly discriminatory requirement", which was criticised as a "witch-hunt".The Assembly was the only legislature in Britain to make failure to declare membership of the Freemasons a criminal offence.Legal advisers warned that it left the devolved body open to a serious risk itself from court action.Kirsty Williams, Lib-Dem AM for Brecon and Radnor and chair of the standards committee, told the Assembly: "It would do little for the Assembly's reputation either as a legislative body or one that prides itself as upholding human rights legislation."The new rule would also remove any breach being a criminal offence.AMs accepted the changes in standing orders by 37-7 with two abstentions, reaching the two-thirds majority required.The wrangle has continued since the start of the Assembly in 1999.But a move to change the rules in 2002 was thrown out by the full plenary when a 29-15 vote in favour failed to achieve a two-thirds majority.James Bevan, the provincial secretary of the south east division of Freemasonry, said: "We had the ridiculous situation that, as a Freemason, if I wanted to become an AM, I would have to declare my membership."But a member of the Ku Klux Klan or Meibion Glyndwr would be all right."The standards committee concluded that the Assembly had a duty to uphold fairness, openness and human rights.But they also warned that there was a "real risk of successful legal action being taken against the Assembly" if the current rules remained.No moral or value judgement about any organisation that may need to be recorded has been made, the report said.

Daily Post April 21st 2005 

Yet another report: