Cheyenne, Wyo. • Wyoming is closer to allowing a select number of students from neighboring states to qualify for its in-state college scholarship program.

The proposal passed an initial vote in the state Senate on Tuesday after earlier clearing the House.

The bill would allow as many as 24 students at any given time from Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska and Utah to receive top-level Hathaway scholarships.

Top-level Hathaway recipients must have a 3.75 high school grade-point average and excellent standardized test scores. The scholarship covers over 80 percent of their tuition.

Under the bill, qualifying out-of-state students would be eligible for in-state tuition rates while getting the same top-tier scholarship to attend the University of Wyoming or Wyoming's community colleges.

A yet-to-be-established endowment would fund the program.