Texas House Democrats returned to Austin on Monday, ending a two-week walkout that had denied the chamber a quorum and stalled a Republican plan to redraw the state’s congressional map. With at least 100 of 150 members present, House Speaker Dustin Burrows gaveled in a second special legislative session at noon local time, restoring the two-thirds attendance required to conduct business. Republicans are poised to move forward as soon as Wednesday with a map drawn at the urging of President Donald Trump and Gov. Greg Abbott that could add up to five GOP-leaning districts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The Senate passed a version of the plan last week, and the GOP controls comfortable majorities in both chambers, making final approval likely. Returning Democrats face daily fines of US$500 for their absence and, under House rules announced Monday, may leave the chamber only after signing ‘‘permission slips’’ releasing them into the custody of state Department of Public Safety officers tasked with ensuring their presence for future votes. Several lawmakers, including Rep. Nicole Collier, refused to accept escorts, calling the measure punitive and theatrical. Minority Leader Gene Wu said Democrats achieved their objectives by blocking action during the first special session and spurring Democrats in California and other states to pursue their own mid-decade redistricting plans. California’s Democratic supermajority on Monday introduced legislation aimed at adding a similar five seats to the party’s tally, escalating a nationwide partisan battle over control of the U.S. House. Legal challenges are expected once the Texas map is enacted. Wu said the two-week delay created a ‘‘robust record’’ for courts to consider, while Republicans argued the walkout merely postponed an inevitable vote. For now, the return of the Democrats clears the procedural hurdle that had kept the redistricting bill—and several unrelated measures—on hold.