El Paso Senator Jose Rodriguez hosts town hall Thursday night

Sen. Jose Rodríguez will hold his first town hall since the regular state legislative session Thursday evening.

Rodríguez is expected to discuss legislation that appeared in the 85th regular session, including the highly contested bathroom bill and anti-sanctuary cities bill, both of which sparked national attention.

“These are, as you said, social issues that really are divisive and really don’t address what are real needs in the state,” said Sen. Rodriguez. “More funding for education, more access to health care, job creation, increasing wages, things that really matter for people on a daily basis.”

He will also touch on how this affects the El Paso community, and will take questions from residents.

The meeting comes as a result of a special legislative session called by Lieut. Gov. Dan Patrick scheduled to start July 18.

Rodríguez told ABC-7 the primary focus of this upcoming special session will be the Sunset Agency bill, which finances many state agencies including the Texas Department of Transportation.

“That bill did not pass during the regular session, so the governor has made it clear that that is a priority,” Sen. Rodriguez said. “That, in fact , we have to pass that bill before we can take up 19 other items that he added to the call of the special session.”

Rodríguez also said many legislators are not looking forward to the special session.

“I expect it to be a continuing difference. I don’t see that in the special session somehow people are going to change their views about these measures,” he said.

The town hall will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the El Paso Community College Valle Verde Campus in the cafeteria annex, located at 919 Hunter Dr.