Final answer:
True, Religious Freedom Restoration Acts at the federal and state levels do exist and they can be used by businesses to refuse services based on religious beliefs, sometimes including services to gay people. However, this is a complex and controversial legal area, with varying interpretations and applications depending on state and specific circumstances.
Step-by-step explanation:
Religious Freedom Acts and Service Refusal
The statement that religious freedom acts allow certain businesses to refuse to serve gay people based on personal faith is partly true. While the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) of 1993 at the federal level and various state-level RFRA laws do protect the free exercise of religion, they create controversy when they conflict with anti-discrimination laws that protect the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals. In the landmark case Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. (2014), the Supreme Court did rule in favor of the business owner's right to deny contraceptive coverage due to religious objections. However, the application of such laws is complex, especially when it involves non-religious, for-profit companies, and the legality of refusing service based on sexual orientation can vary by state and circumstance. States have been involved in passing their own versions of RFRAs, with some more explicitly allowing businesses to discriminate based on religious beliefs, while others, like Indiana, have amended their laws to ensure LGBTQ+ protections following public protests.