DENVER (AP) -- Colorado lawmakers have denied a request for about $455,000 to address a dramatic increase in the number of people needing background checks to buy firearms in the aftermath of the mass shooting at a Connecticut elementary school.

The Joint Budget Committee on Thursday voted 4-2 to deny the request from the Department of Public Safety. It means people looking to buy firearms will have to wait longer to make their purchase because there's a backlog.

The checks typically have taken less than an hour, but now take about a week because more people are interested in buying firearms as lawmakers in Congress and in the state weigh gun-control measures.

Democratic Rep. Claire Levy of Boulder says she doesn't think people who want to buy guns deserve special funding.

One Republican joined three Democrats to deny the request.