Arizona Corporation Commission

The Arizona Corporation Commission is the Public Utilities Commission of the State of Arizona, established by Article 15 of the Arizona Constitution. Arizona is one of only fourteen states with elected commissioners. The Arizona Constitution explicitly calls for an elected commission, as opposed to a governor-appointed commission, which is the standard in most states, because its drafters feared that governors would appoint industry-friendly officials.

The original Arizona State Constitution of 1912 established the Commission with three members serving staggered six year terms with no term limits. In 2000, Arizona voters approved Proposition 103, which expanded the Commission to five members, shortened the terms to four years, and prohibited Commissioners from serving more than two consecutive terms. Commissioners may serve additional terms, but they must be out of office for at least one full term before they become eligible again. In the event of a vacancy, the governor may appoint a new Commissioner to fill the vacancy until the next general election.

Due to its separation from the executive branch, the commission is sometimes referred to as the "fourth branch of government." However, this designation is unofficial, as Article III of the Arizona Constitution states that "[t]he powers of the government of the state of Arizona shall be divided into three separate departments, the legislative, the executive, and the judicial".

The commission has five members. As of January 2025, the commissioners are Lea Márquez Peterson, Nick Myers, Rene Lopez, Kevin Thompson, and Rachel Walden.