BATON ROUGE - A proposal seeking to draw the Southeastern Conference baseball tournament to New Orleans is nearing final legislative passage.

Sen. Danny Martiny, a Kenner Republican, wants to expand what events qualify for money from Louisiana's Major Events Incentive Program. Martiny's law change would allow all college tournaments or championships to be eligible.

He said the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation is bidding for the SEC tournament, hoping to lure it from Alabama.

The incentive program, aimed at recruiting big-ticket events to Louisiana, allows the state to carve a slice of sales and excise taxes generated by qualifying events and pay it to them as an incentive.

Martiny's Senate-approved bill received backing Monday from the House Appropriations Committee and heads next to the full House for debate.