DENVER—A proposal allowing illegal immigrant students to pay lower college tuition rates has passed the Colorado House and is headed to Gov. John Hickenlooper, who is expected to sign it.

Three Republicans joined with all the Democrats in voting for the bill Friday.

The bill would allow students who graduate from Colorado high schools attend college at the in-state rate regardless of their immigration status. Currently, students in the country illegally must pay the nonresident tuition rate, which can be more than three times higher than the in-state rate.

Similar bills have been debated in Colorado for a decade. Both parties have voted to defeat the proposals in the past.

Republicans argued that a federal immigration overhaul needs to happen before the bill.