WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court heard arguments on Wednesday about whether Virginia may permit only its own citizens to make requests under the state’s freedom of information act.

The justices appeared to differ about whether such a restriction was sensible, but they seemed largely united that it did not run afoul of the Constitution.

The case, McBurney v. Young, No. 12-17, was brought by Roger Hurlbert, a California man who collects property records for commercial clients, and Mark McBurney, a Rhode Island man who once lived in Virginia and who sought information concerning child support payments. They sued when Virginia refused to comply with their requests under the law.

Virginia appears to be one of only three states that discriminate against requests for information from noncitizens. Its law contains an exception for representatives of newspapers and magazines with circulation in Virginia and of radio and television stations that broadcast there. It does not address Internet publications.