The Texas Legislature began a new special legislative session Friday after Gov. Greg Abbott called lawmakers back to deal with congressional redistricting and a host of other issues — laying down a new gauntlet for Democrats who fled the state nearly two weeks ago to halt a vote on a new district map.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called a second special session Friday after gaveling out the first 30-day session, hamstrung by fleeing Democrats who left the state.

Abbott called a second special session after the House again failed to reach a quorum amid a Democratic walkout over a GOP-favored redistricting plan.

A second special session that has made approving the map a priority started Friday, as soon as the first one ended.