Santa Barbara HR Leaders Meet with Congressman Carbajal to Advance Workforce Priorities
Authored by Susie Couture, SHRM-CP, SBHRA Legislative Advocacy Chair and SHRM California’s College Relations representative
The Santa Barbara Human Resources Association (SBHRA) hosted a productive legislative roundtable discussion with Rep. Salud Carbajal and his chief of staff, Jeremy Tittle, on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, at the Congressman’s Santa Barbara office.
During the meeting, Congressman Carbajal discussed several legislative priorities focused on strengthening working families and economic opportunity, including the Family Tax Credit, Childcare Workforce Act, First-Time Homebuyer Act, and Degrees Not Debt Act. SBHRA members expressed appreciation for his bipartisan approach to policymaking and emphasized the importance of constructive, solutions-oriented dialogue on workforce issues.
The discussion centered on three SHRM-aligned policy priorities:
- Education-to-Employment: Building faster, stronger pathways from classroom to career.
- Workplace Caregiving: Supporting practical and inclusive solutions for today’s caregiving workforce.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) Displacement and Opportunity: Promoting responsible, people-centered approaches to artificial intelligence in the workplace.
SBHRA leaders encouraged the Congressman’s office to engage local HR professionals when developing workforce-related legislation to ensure policies reflect real-world employer perspectives. “It was an excellent opportunity to have a constructive, bipartisan conversation about the real challenges employers and employees face every day,” said Susie Couture, SBHRA legislative advocacy chair and SHRM California’s college relations representative. “We appreciated the chance to share HR’s perspective and stand ready to serve as a resource to Congressman Carbajal and his team as they shape future workforce policy.”
The meeting underscored SBHRA’s commitment to advancing practical, bipartisan workforce solutions that benefit both employees and employers throughout California’s Central Coast.
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