Legislation introduced recently to bar those who have been in litigation with an election commission and lost from serving on that commission has stalled on Capitol Hill.

The piece of legislation, proposed by Sen. Mae Beavers, was apparently aimed at former DeKalb County administrator of elections Lisa Peterson. The measure, an amendment to Senate Bill 0925, read: “no person may serve as a member of a county election commission if the person has been a plaintiff in litigation against the county election commission on which the person seeks to serve and the court ruled in favor of the county election commission.”

Peterson filed suit against the local commission in 2009, after Republicans took control of the election commission in 2009 and relieved her from duty. DeKalb Democratic Party Chairman Jordan Wilkins accused Beavers of targeting Peterson to prevent her from serving on the local commission.

The measure, which could be taken up by lawmakers again next year, was sent to a conference committee, which considered the following versions:

A former administrator of elections appointed pursuant to § 2-12-116 shall not serve as a member of the appointing county election commission.

A former administrator of elections appointed pursuant to § 2-12-116 shall not serve as a member of the appointing county election commission for a period of five (5) years after the person leaves office as administrator of elections.

A former administrator of elections appointed pursuant to § 2-12-116 shall not serve as a member of the appointing county election commission for a period of ten (10) years after the person leaves office as administrator of elections.