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PHOENIX -- State lawmakers voted Tuesday to tell every public school, community college and state university to put an American flag in every classroom.

But who is going to pay for it remains unclear.

The legislation given preliminary Senate approval on a voice vote requires each governing board to seek donations of two-by-three foot flags -- made in the U.S. only -- or seek cash to put one in every room. They also would have to obtain flagpoles and other hardware.

HB 2583 also says, though, that if the boards can't get the required number of flags by July 1, 2007, they must purchase them. The measure, however, contains no money to do that.

That lack of funds does not bother Rep. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa.

He said the Legislature is increasing funding for public schools by hundreds of millions of dollars. And Pearce said those flags can't cost that much.

Pearce said, though, he doubts that taxpayers ultimately will be hit. He said some Arizona companies already have offered to donate flags.

The issue, said Pearce, is patriotism.

All public schools already are required to have at least one flag displayed on the property. But Pearce said these usually are outside the building.

Community colleges and state universities do not have any flag requirement.

What is missing, he said, is a requirement for a flag in each classroom.

"That's where the students sit," he said, calling it "a nice reminder for them to recognize the freedoms we enjoy like no other nation."

The discussion of the measure provoked some debate among lawmakers of whether that show of patriotism should be limited to public school classrooms.

Sen. Ken Cheuvront, D-Phoenix, succeeded in expanding the measure to any private or parochial school which has students whose tuition is paid through scholarship donations that qualify for state income tax credits.

And Sen. Toni Hellon, R-Tucson, said the Legislature itself should not be exempt. Her amendment requires flags in all hearing rooms.

But senators rejected a proposal by Sen. Bill Brotherton, D-Phoenix, to require those flags to be placed in each lawmaker's office and all meeting rooms.

A final roll-call vote will send the measure back to the House which already has approved it in substantially similar form.