How to increase chances the Minnesota Legislature will finish the budget on time and not have “extra innings” in a special session — that’s the objective as House lawmakers discuss options this morning. Among the topics is how to more effectively use the state’s economic forecasts in November and February in setting the state budget… how House-Senate conference committees should negotiate the various pieces of the state budget…. and whether additional deadlines should be set to encourage lawmakers not to delay final negotiations until just before the adjournment deadline in May. Legislative leaders and the governor tried that last session with only limited success. The panel is also discussing ways to discourage lawmakers from putting controversial policy measures as riders in budget bills to try to get them into law. Such moves can contribute to deadlock in state budget negotiations.