Washington state is shaping up to be a national battleground in the fight over legalizing assisted suicide this fall.

With several months still to go before Election Day, Washington’s Initiative 1000 has drawn cash contributions from all 50 states, as well as Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico.

The initiative would make Washington the second state - following Oregon – that allows physicians to prescribe a lethal dose of medication for mentally competent, terminally ill patients who request it. Proponents say dying people should be able to choose the terms of their death, while opponents say the safeguards are grossly inadequate and that it’s a slippery slope to euthanasia.

Oregon has had such a law for a decade, and in recent years, 26 states have considered legalizing assisted suicide. Washington is the only state considering such a measure this year.

As of the last reporting period April 10, proponents had collected nearly $900,000, and spent nearly $600,000, much of it on consultants, fundraising and signature-gatherers. It takes about 225,000 signatures to get an initiative on the November ballot. Supporters say signature-gathering is going better than expected. So far, opponents to the measure have raised about $50,000.

Recent polling indicates there’s about 60 percent to 64 percent support for I-1000.

Washington voters rejected a similar initiative back in 1991.

(Spokesman-Review)