DENVER - State senators have voted to provide in-state tuition rates to illegal immigrants.

Senate Bill 33 passed an initial vote on Friday. A final vote will occur on Monday and then it heads to the House.

The Democratic Senate has approved lowered tuition rates for the illegal immigrants before. This year's bill faces better prospects because the House is now in Democratic hands, and the Democratic governor supports the proposal.

The bill allows students at state colleges to receive in-state tuition rates regardless of their immigration status.

The change would be a dramatic turnaround for a state where lawmakers less than a decade ago barred illegal immigrants from receiving any nonemergency state benefits.