Draft:Vic Hellard Jr.

Victor Wilcoxin Hellard Jr. (August 16, 1939 – September 17, 1996) was an American attorney and politician who served as director of the Legislative Research Commission (LRC) from 1977 to 1995. He had previously served as a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives, representing Kentucky's 56th House district from 1972 to 1976.

Hellard's eighteen-year tenure was the longest of any LRC director, during which he was credited with transforming the commission into its modern form.^[1]

Victor Wilcoxin Hellard Jr. was born on August 16, 1939, in Woodford County, Kentucky, to Victor and Leona (Tilghman) Hellard. His father owned a Ford dealership, while his mother was a homemaker.^[2]

Hellard graduated from Versailles High School in 1958, and shortly thereafter was elected president of the Woodford County Young Democrats.^[3] In 1960, he was selected by state youth chairman of the Kentucky Young Democrats, future congressman Carroll Hubbard, to help lead grassroots recruitment efforts alongside Richard Weisenberger for Kentucky's 6th congressional district.^[4] He became closely linked with other reform-minded local Democrats such as attorney and future court of appeals judge Anthony Wilhoit, and former state senator Tom Ward. Together, they recruited future governor Martha Layne Collins to become involved in politics.^[5] Later, Hellard became a member of the Kentucky Democratic Party central committee.^[6]

Hellard attended Eastern Kentucky University, where he was a member of the debate club, Kappa Pi honor society, and elected student body president.^{[7] [8]} In 1965, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and enrolled at the University of Kentucky College of Law, where he was a classmate of future senator Mitch McConnell.^{[2] [9]} In 1968, Hellard graduated with a Juris Doctor degree, and opened his own private law practice.^{[2] [10]}

In 1970, Representative William McCann was redistricted from Kentucky's 56th House district to the 78th House district. Jessamine and Woodford counties maintained their legislative boundaries, but were redistricted in-name-only out of the 52nd House district, and into the 56th House district.^[11] Hellard won the three-way Democratic primary held on May 25 with 2,772 votes (54.7%), and won the 1971 Kentucky House of Representative's election with 4,928 votes (67%) against Republican candidate Arthur L. Lindsey.^[12]

During his tenure, Hellard was known as a quiet legislator who generally avoided controversy.^[13] He served on the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee, House Committee on Elections and Constitutional Amendments, and the House Committee on Health and Welfare.^[14] After his reelection in 1973, he served as vice chair of the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee.^{[15] [16]}

Due to his law practice suffering while he was in Frankfort, Hellard did not seek reelection in 1975.^[13] He was among many young retiring legislators that year who were noted in the media as having, "...showed promise."^[17]

Following his retirement as a legislator, Hellard continued practicing law in Woodford County while also serving as special counsel to Kentucky House Speaker William Kenton during the 1976 Kentucky General Assembly and its special session that December.^{[18] [19]}

In February 1977, LRC Director Phil Conn announced his intentions to resign from his position. Conn had held the role of director since November 1974, but reportedly had a number of disputes with legislators and staff throughout his tenure.^[18] Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Prather led a screening committee for the selection of the commission's next director, however Hellard as well as former director of public relations for the University of Kentucky Fred Woodress were the only applicants. Hellard had the backing of Kenton prior to Conn's resignation, resulting in his unanimous selection in March as the LRC's next director.^[18] When he assumed office on April 16, he became the first director to be appointed by the legislature, and not the governor.^{[1] [19]}

Hellard holds the record for longest serving director of the LRC, which allowed him to be present for and often assist in the evolution of the Kentucky General Assembly into its modern form. This includes both physically, as was the case in December 1977 with the expansion of committee meetings rooms into the capital annex building, and spiritually with the push during the 1970s for legislative independence from the governor's influence.

• Historian Ken Williams wrote that Hellard should be given credit for the creation of the Kentucky River Authority, owing to his propounding of the agency and his love for the Kentucky River. Andy Mead, a reporter for the Lexington Herald-Leader wrote that "Vic loved the river. He loved talking about it. He loved being on it."^[20]
• In 1990, Hellard worked behind the scenes to assist Tom Jones, Eck Rose, Harry Moberly, and Joe Barrows to quietly expand the authority of the KRA, including the right to sell bonds and charge for water usage.^[20]

For much of Kentucky's history, the General Assembly was heavily influenced by and often had control exerted over its members by the governor.

• Advocate for independent legislature, modernization, and nonpartisan/ professional staff^[21]
• According to House Speaker Joe Clarke, "Until Vic came along, basically the LRC directors were pretty much the governor's people... he took a very strong position that he was the legislature's man."^[13]

In 2013, legislative leaders commissioned the National Conference of State Legislatures to conduct a performance audit of the LRC following allegations of sexual harassment made by three female staffers against representative John Arnold, and the commission's alleged failure to protect them following their complaints.^[22]

The 75-page report detailed numerous issues with the commission, and pointed to the power vacuum left behind after Hellard's retirement in 1995 as a contributing factor to its current problems. Specifically, the report stated that Hellard was, "strong, charismatic, and talented," and led the commission with, "strength of character ... a natural instinct for leadership, a keen eye for talent, a close working relationship with legislators, a deep understanding of the process and an abiding affection for the legislative institution."^[23] However, the report also stated that the continued use of this leadership style by his successors was, "ill-suited to cope with the demands of today's workplace and the challenges presented in an age of limited resources, a new generation of employees and a more dynamic political landscape."^[23]

Hellard was married to Ellen Carpenter. The two had no children, and lived in Versailles.

During his free time, Hellard was a frequent chautauqua speaker, giving lectures and performances while in character as governor Edwin P. Morrow and humorist Irvin S. Cobb.^{[24] [25]}

Following his retirement in 1995, Hellard formed a law and lobbying firm in Frankfort with Bobby Sherman, who would later serve as LRC director from 1999 to 2014.^[24]

On September 17, 1996, Hellard died after suffering a heart attack at his home. He laid in state in the Kentucky Capitol building's rotunda prior to his funeral on September 19, and was interred at Versailles Cemetery. His headstone is engraved with the phrase, "An Honorable Kentuckian," as well as the seal of Kentucky.

Following his passing, numerous public officials eulogized Hellard and his career. On September 25, Mitch McConnell paid tribute to Hellard on the floor of the United States Senate: "[Hellard] worked behind the scenes as the glue that held the Kentucky General Assembly together." Former Kentucky House Speaker Bobby Richardson stated, "Vic’s legacy is that he turned the LRC into a professional, informed support staff for the legislature, which allowed the legislature to become an equal partner with the governor." Kentucky Attorney General Ben Chandler stated, "He was the shepherd of legislative independence, but he never accepted the credit he deserved for anything he did. That was part of his charm.’’^[26]

In 1997, the LRC established the Vic Hellard Jr. Award to be awarded annually to an outstanding legislative staffer. The Council of State Governments also honored Hellard with an award, renaming the Carter Legislative Staff Award to the Carter/ Hellard Legislative Staff Award.^[27] During the second special session of the 1997 Kentucky General Assembly, the House and Senate passed resolutions for a bronze plaque honoring Hellard to be placed on the third floor of the state capitol building.^{[28] [29]} The plaque was made by sculptor Ed Hamilton, and is located outside the LRC director's office.^{[30] [31]}

In 2004, the University of Kentucky College of Law inducted Hellard into their alumni hall of fame.^[32]

During the 2006 Kentucky General Assembly, Majority Whip Joe Barrows filed a bill to rename the capitol annex office building the "Vic Hellard Jr. Legislative Office Building." It was passed unanimously by the House, but failed to receive a committee hearing in the Senate.^[33]

The Vic Hellard Jr. Memorial Bridge is located on the Martha Layne Collins Bluegrass Parkway, and spans over the Kentucky River in Woodford County.^[34]

• Draft AfC submissions