Lt. Gov. Kinder outlines plans to benefit veterans

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder outlines a plan to provide more state aid to military veterans.

Kinder wants to create scholarships for children and spouses of National Guard and military reservists who are killed or seriously injured. He also is proposing a job training program through the Missouri Veterans Commission for military people returning from active duty.

Other proposals backed by Kinder would spend more money on mental health care for veterans and on capital improvements at veterans homes. He also backs a plan to speed up a planned tax break on military pensions.

The various proposals could cost more than $30 million a year. But Kinder says he is not endorsing a proposed ballot issue that would raise the state sales tax to fund veterans issues.