ATLANTA — Months after the Supreme Court effectively legalized same-sex marriage, lawmakers across the U.S. are pushing bills that would give businesses and some public employees the right to refuse serving gay couples because of their religious beliefs.

The American Civil Liberties Union opposes such bills and says variations have been proposed in 22 states – mostly by Republicans, though they aren’t universally backed in the Republican Party. Top employers, including Delta Air Lines, Home Depot, Porsche and UPS in Georgia, warn the proposals are unwelcoming and bad for business.

Even so, Georgia lawmakers have pressed on with a bill to allow business owners to refuse products or services for same-sex couples planning a wedding, and another that protects state employees who have religious objections to the marriages.

Republican state Rep. Kevin Tanner, sponsor of a bill allowing bakers or other business owners to deny wedding-related services for gay couples, said he’s not sure the measure has enough support to pass this year but called for a “non-emotional argument.”

‘A DIFFERENT BELIEF SYSTEM’

“I don’t think anyone really fundamentally wants to prohibit the free exercise of religion and the ability of people to raise their children and still be able to make a living just because they have a different belief system than someone who is their customer,” he said.

The odds of passage nationwide vary dramatically. Several bills are filed in states with legislatures dominated by Democrats or with a Democratic governor’s veto standing in the way, such as Virginia. In Tennessee, lawmakers swiftly rejected a measure barring the state from abiding by the Supreme Court’s gay marriage decision after legislative analysts projected it could jeopardize $8.5 billion in federal funding.

Elsewhere, the measures have backing from top officials supported by conservative voters demanding a response to the Supreme Court ruling. In Kentucky – home to Kim Davis, the county clerk jailed when she refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples because of her religious beliefs – lawmakers have proposed a bill allowing clerks to remove their name from licenses. The bill matches an executive order issued by Republican Gov. Matt Bevin.

HOW JUDGES MAY RULE

Legal experts said any bills that become law are bound to be challenged in court. But how judges may rule depends on the specific issue.

Alexander Volokh, an Emory University law professor, said courts may rule against exemptions for public employees. But laws covering private businesses in states without specific civil rights protections for gay residents could stand, he said.

“Private individuals don’t have any constitutional duty to participate in gay marriage,” Volokh said.