Texas Republicans insisted that Democrats have around-the-clock police escorts to ensure they wouldn’t leave again.

The gambit has triggered a national redistricting war, with governors of both parties threatening to initiate similar efforts in other states.

Democrats said Republicans in the Texas House crossed a line by detaining them en masse and then assigning state troopers to trail them everywhere they go.

AUSTIN, Texas - Four protesters were arrested after refusing to leave the Texas Capitol grounds Monday night. According to Texas DPS, on August 18, the Texas State Senate adjourned at 10 p.m. and all visitors were told the Texas Capitol building would be closing at 10:30 p.m.

In just a few days, the Texas Senate passed all but four bills on the special session agenda. The second special session was called on Friday, by Tuesday, 14 bills of 18 on the call had already passed.

The House later referred the new version of the bill that includes new congressional maps to the redistricting committee, a procedural move that the House has to follow again because it has started a new legislative session. The House did not take any votes and adjourned until Wednesday.

Rep. Nicole Collier’s overnight stay stemmed from Republicans in the Texas House requiring returning Democrats to sign what the Democrats called “permission slips,” agreeing to around-the-clock surveillance by state Department of Public Safety officers to leave the floor. Collier, of Fort Worth, refused and remained on the House floor Monday night.

The Democratic lawmakers have been in Illinois since Aug. 3 to avoid a vote on the remap during a special legislative session called by Texas GOP.