BATON ROUGE (AP) — Economic Development Secretary Stephen Moret won approval Thursday for his bid to use $80 million in hurricane recovery money to compete for business projects — but only after legislative oversight was added to the spending.

The Louisiana Recovery Authority board agreed to the plan to use federal aid for hurricanes Gustav and Ike for state economic development efforts. But the board required that each project must go before the Legislature’s joint budget committee before it receives any money. The plan still needs approval from state lawmakers and federal officials with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

As originally proposed by LRA Executive Director Robin Keegan, the Department of Economic Development would have received the $80 million to give out grant and loan packages to businesses for work force training, drainage improvements, infrastructure needs and equipment. The department would have had final decision over how to dole out the money.

House Speaker Jim Tucker, a member of the LRA board, said lawmakers want to review projects that will get the money. Upon Tucker’s urging, the LRA board rewrote the proposal to include budget committee review.

‘‘I can’t be in favor of just writing a blank check for $80 million without knowing where it’s going to be spent ultimately,’’ said Tucker, R-Terrytown. ‘‘My colleagues want to have that oversight.’’

Moret sought the money as other grant funds in his department dwindle and the state faces budget shortfalls projected for several years that threaten the economic development department’s ability to get new grant dollars.

The $80 million would come from flexible federal block grant aid given to the state after Gustav and Ike struck in 2008.

Moret said the projects will be prioritized on the number of jobs they create and the level of investment in the state. He said they will be in areas heavily damaged by Gustav or Ike, and he expected to spend the money within two years.

‘‘We are pursuing a variety of large projects that could potentially bring the state thousands of new private sector jobs and billions of capital investment,’’ Moret said.

Sen. Nick Gautreaux, an LRA board member, was the lone vote against the $80 million spending plan — even after legislative oversight was added.

Gautreaux, D-Meaux, said he wouldn’t support the spending unless he saw a list of proposed projects upfront, and he said adding approval of the Legislature’s joint budget committee was simply a rubber stamp for Moret and Gov. Bobby Jindal’s administration.

‘‘Joint budget normally votes everything that the administration wants, whether it’s right or wrong,’’ he said.

Moret cited confidentiality agreements with the companies being wooed in refusing to detail the businesses that could receive the money if they choose to build or expand in Louisiana.

With actions Thursday, the LRA board has approved proposals for spending all of the $1.1 billion in block grant aid for Gustav and Ike recovery. Much of the money was earmarked to parishes, based on their percentage of damage from the hurricanes.