In a news release, the Atlanta City Council announced it voted 11-2 during Monday’s meeting at City Hall downtown in favor of a resolution supporting marriage equality for same-sex couples (Legislative Reference No. 12-R-1813).

District 6 Councilman Alex Wan, who is gay, introduced the resolution.

“The Atlanta City Council has had a long history of leadership on LGBT issues, including nondiscrimination initiatives and domestic partner benefits,” said Wan. “I am so proud to continue that tradition with this public position supporting marriage equality, and I am grateful to my colleagues, who I respect so deeply, for demonstrating their shared commitment to equal rights for all citizens.”

While marriage law is determined by the state of Georgia and remains illegal under the state’s constitution, the resolution sends a strong message affirming the council’s commitment to equality for all residents.

The resolution is the latest in a series of measures taken by the council to affirm the rights of Atlanta’s LGBT citizens. City ordinances prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation by Atlanta businesses (Code Section 94-112), in housing sales and rentals (94-94), and by stores, hotels, restaurants and other public accommodations (94-68). Additionally, the city offers employees domestic partner benefits for healthcare and pensions. In 2004, the council passed resolution 04-R-0183, opposing the state amendment that eventually banned same-sex marriage.

In other news, council President Ceasar C. Mitchell has announced council committee assignments for the coming legislative year.

“I am extremely proud of the council’s work over the past year,” he said. “We have tackled some important issues and have moved the city forward. I look forward to even greater accomplishments in 2013.”

Currently the council has seven standing committees: finance/executive, public safety and legal administration, city utilities, committee on council, zoning, transportation, and community development and human resources. All committees are comprised of members of the council.

They are:

o City Utilities Committee: Wan, Howard Shook (chair), C.T. Martin, Yolanda Adrean, Carla Smith, Aaron Watson, and Natalyn Mosby Archibong

o Community Development/Human Resources Committee: Joyce Sheperd (chair), H. Lamar Willis, Kwanza Hall, Shook, Cleta Winslow and Ivory Lee Young Jr.

o Public Safety Committee: Michael Julian Bond (chair), Young, Willis, Keisha Lance Bottoms, Hall, Martin and Winslow

o Transportation Committee: Martin (chair), Bottoms, Watson, Felicia A. Moore, Smith, Willis and Bond

o Zoning Committee: Bottoms (chair), Wan, Smith, Sheperd, Shook and Young

o Finance/Executive Committee: Moore (chair), Adrean, Shook, Watson, Martin, Wan, Archibong

o Committee on Council: Adrean (chair), Sheperd, Archibong, Moore, Winslow, Bond and Hall