The House Finance Committee is expected to vote Thursday on a new budget for the fiscal year beginning July first. The legislature usually makes a series of changes to the spending plan submitted by Gov. Gina Raimondo.

Lawmakers have tackled few significant issues during almost six months of legislative activity. Now comes the important stuff, starting with a House Finance vote on the new state budget.

Gov. Raimondo proposed a $9.2 billion spending plan in January. Her marquee concept was offering Rhode Islanders two years of free tuition at state universities. But it remains unclear if even part of Raimondo’s tuition plan will make it into the final budget.

One certainty is that the spending plan will include the top priority of House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello, beginning a six-year phase-out of the car tax with an initial $26 million cut. Lawmakers are also expected to make cuts throughout state government to wipe out a $134 million deficit.