Bill revising way state pays N.O. casino contract eases out of House panel
by Ed Anderson - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

BATON ROUGE -- The city of New Orleans would be paid directly from the funds generated by the land-based Harrah's casino instead of having to go through the annual appropriations process under a bill approved Monday by the House Appropriations Committee. Without objection, the panel gave unanimous support to House Bill 183 by speaker Pro Tem Walt Leger III, D-New Orleans. The bill, similar to one passed by lawmakers but vetoed by Gov. Bobby Jindal last year, now heads to the House floor for debate. Leger said that the state budget bill, House Bill 1, now contains the $3.6 million the state has contracted to pay the city for enhanced police, fire and emergency services in the area of Harrah's casino.