Virginiaâs fourth branch of government is in the process of making decisions that will affect not only your electric bill but also potentially what types of jobs are in Southwest Virginia. That fourth branch of government is the nickname often applied to the State Corporation Commission, the panel that regulates utilities. For a long time, perhaps even since the agencyâs founding in 1902, the SCC was considered a friendly venue for those utilities. Now the Democratic majority in the General Assembly has installed two new judges on the three-judge panel, so weâll see what this remade SCC has in store.