State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-12th, top left, looks on as demonstrators seeking a ban on gifts to lawmakers are arrested at his office in Harrisburg on Tuesday. The March on Harrisburg demonstrators said they want a gift-ban bill that's been sitting in Metcalfe's committee since January to move forward.

HARRISBURG — State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-12th of Cranberry Township got some unexpected visitors Monday and Tuesday.

Demonstrators sat in Metcalfe's office at the state capitol building to protest lack of movement on a gift-ban bill, The Associated Press reported.

“We've never seen anything like this in the 19 years where I've been in Legislature, where you have people acting as if they didn't receive proper instructions from their parents about respecting other people's rights,” Metcalfe said in a telephone interview with the Butler Eagle.

Since January, the bill has been before the House State Government Committee, of which Metcalfe is chairman.

Pennsylvania Capitol Police arrested five demonstrators Monday after they refused to leave the office of Metcalfe, a Republican, the AP said.

According to the AP, a Capitol Police spokesman said they're being charged with disorderly conduct, a summary offense. He also said that protestors arrested two consecutive days would be charged with defiant trespassing, a misdemeanor.

A total of 23 protesters were arrested over the two days. Metcalfe was complimentary of the police.

“They acted in a professional manner and in a manner that would make the majority of our citizens very proud that there are law enforcement officers protecting and serving,” he said.

The legislation, House Bill 570, states that no public officer or candidate may receive a gift worth more than $50 from a lobbyist, lobbying firm or principal in a calendar year.

It also states that no public officer or candidate may receive hospitality worth more than $500 from a lobbyist, lobbying firm or principal in a calendar year.

Exceptions include gifts from relatives or a gift from someone on the basis of personal friendship. Training to public officers and donations of products from a Pennsylvania company that are intended primarily for promotional purposes also are included as exceptions.

Currently, Pennsylvania has no prohibition on how much in gifts public officers may take.

Metcalfe said that he has not read over the bill, which has not been scheduled for consideration by the committee. He also said he has other legislation that is a higher priority, and said that the bill will be pushed back because of the protests.

“It's further back on the burners now because of the disrespectful and uncivil way that people showed up advocating for it,” he said.